SA calls for release of Zimbabwe results
Michael Appel
17 April 2008
With Zimbabwe's presidential elections results still outstanding more than two weeks after the 29 March poll, the South African government has expressed great concern at the delay.
Speaking to journalists in Pretoria on Thursday after Wednesday's Cabinet meeting, Government Spokesperson Themba Maseko said the Cabinet had endorsed the Southern African Development Community's (SADC's) call for the verification and release of all results as soon as possible.
The South African government would do everything within its power to make sure the outstanding election results were released, Maseko said, and if necessary would interact directly with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
"Beyond this, there is very little we can do."
Questioned on the delayed presidential election results, Maseko said the ZEC had given no reasons for the delay, and reiterated the need for the people of Zimbabwe to be informed on the situation.
"The focus of discussions [at the Cabinet meeting] was about how to make sure that everything is being done to facilitate discussions between the ruling party and the opposition, and to ensure that everything is being done to release the results as soon as possible," Maseko said.
"So our view is that it is not helpful to debate at this stage as to whether there is a crisis in Zimbabwe or not. The focus must be on getting the results released and for things to change to some sort of normality in Zimbabwe."
Provincial and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi, briefing journalists in Pretoria on Tuesday following an extraordinary SADC summit meeting in Zambia on the weekend, said the SADC had "appealed to concerned parties to exercise restraint and refrain from inflaming the political situation in Zimbabwe.
"They also called on electoral authorities to release outstanding results expeditiously, and ensure that all concerns regarding the results are dealt with in accordance with the laws governing the electoral process."
Source: BuaNews
