/ 29 January 2005

Zimbabwe tells Cosatu to mind its own business

Zimbabwe on Friday warned the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) to stop meddling in its internal affairs.

A statement by the country’s top envoy, Simon Khaya Moyo, said reports that the African National Congress had changed its mind about Cosatu’s planned fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe and was supportive of it, were contrary to what they had learned from the party itself.

On Thursday, the Alliance Secretariat, made up of the SA Communist party, the ANC, the SA National Civic Organisation and Cosatu, said the union’s planned visit was part of efforts to create a dialogue that would ensure free and fair elections in Zimbabwe.

”Zimbabwe is not for sale,” the ambassador said in a statement.

”Zimbabwe is currently too busy with preparations for the March elections, which will be conducted within the SADC (Southern African Development Community) principles and guidelines on elections.

”These SADC protocols were crafted for all SADC member states and the notion being projected that they apply to Zimbabwe only must be dismissed with the contempt it deserves,” Moyo said. – Sapa