‘Mugabe can help with SA’s problems’

South African President Thabo Mbeki arrived in Zimbabwe on Thursday for talks on political and economic chaos in that country, and declared that Zimbabwe and South Africa share common problems they can help each other resolve.

The South African leader was addressing hundreds of Zimbabwean ruling-party supporters at Harare International airport shortly after arriving for the talks with President Robert Mugabe.

”Our countries faced common problems. They shared common problems of oppression. They share common problems today. And in reality that is why we are here,” Mbeki said.

Mbeki said he hopes Mugabe ”can assist us to confront the problems we have in South Africa, so that if we can, we can assist you to solve the problems that face Zimbabwe”.

The South African leader is a key supporter of Mugabe’s government. His policy of ”quiet diplomacy” towards his Southern African neighbour, under which he does not publicly criticise Mugabe, has come under fire for failing to address Zimbabwe’s problems.

Zimbabwe is in the grip of severe economic hardships, and the country is deeply divided between Mugabe’s Zanu-PF and the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change.

This week Zimbabwe’s inflation surged to close to 620%, up from a previous figure of 526%. Employment is at about 70% and there are severe shortages of food facing half the country’s 11,6-million people. — Sapa-AFP