Zuma says SADC summit must 'force' Zimbabwe deal

Southern African leaders must force Zimbabwe's sparring parties to break the deadlock over a power-sharing agreement at a summit this weekend, the leader of South Africa's ruling ANC said yesterday.

"As far as I'm concerned SADC must make those Zimbabweans reach an agreement," Jacob Zuma said after a speech to the Cape Town Press Club. "They must force them."

The 15-nation SADC (Southern African Development Community) is due to meet in Johannesburg tomorrow to try to solve an impasse between President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai over allocating Cabinet posts under a power-sharing deal they reached in September.

"I believe that the Zimbabwean matter does not end within the borders of Zimbabwe, it impacts on all of us and for that reason we must force them to stop making us feel the impact," said Mr Zuma, who is front-runner to become the President of South Africa in an election next year.

Past meetings of regional heads of state have failed to produce a breakthrough and there were new signs that the parties may face another round of difficult negotiations.

Mr Tsvangirai's MDC said on Thursday Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party had put a "full stop" to negotiations on forming a government by carrying out what it said was widespread violence.

South Africa's government said on Thursday it would take a tough stand at the summit. This was a sharp change from the style of former President Thabo Mbeki, whose softly-softly approach as official mediator was criticised as ineffective.

Zimbabwe's parties face pressure from South Africa but it is not clear what practical steps SADC could take to force an agreement.

Mark Schroeder, sub-Saharan director of risk analysis firm Stratfor, said any threats from SADC members will be empty unless the group is willing to take tough action like imposing sanctions to pressure President Mugabe.

"The way that they are fighting over the Home Affairs Ministry, I really don't see Zanu-PF yielding on that one. That's a big factor in their ability to control their destiny and how they do that is basically using the police and other security services," Mr Schroeder said.