SOUTH Africa’s department of foreign affairs has emphasised that free and fair Zimbabwe elections are vital for the stability of the southern African region. The department’s Director General, Sipho Pityana, told journalists in Pretoria that the elections had to be “beyond reproach”. He said tongue lashing had produced no results in Zimbabwe. “Now there are observers for the election, donors are asking about donations to be made on the land issue and there are discussions with the International Monetary Fund about aid packages to Zimbabwe.”