Two trucks carrying 37 tonnes of food earmarked for destitute Zimbabweans could leave South Africa for Harare within 24 hours, the South African Council of Churches (SACC) said on Wednesday.
”It will be sent within the next 24 hours, hopefully,” said spokesperson Ron Steele.
The trucks were left stranded in Johannesburg last week after the Zimbabwean government demanded documents confirming that maize that was among the food was not genetically modified.
On Wednesday, the South African Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs sent letters to the SACC confirming that the maize was not genetically modified. In turn, the SACC sent the letters to Harare.
”All that is required now from the Zimbabwean government is the necessary clearance certificates. Once these have been supplied, the trucks will leave,” Steele said.
The South African embassy in Harare had also offered assistance to facilitate the speedy processing of the documentation.
In addition to the maize, the consignment of food contains beans and cooking oil.
Another truck, containing blankets, was also being sent to Harare. There are plans to send a second consignment of goods to Zimbabwe at the end of the month, Steele said.
The goods will be delivered and distributed by Christian Care, an organisation working throughout Zimbabwe distributing food to those in need.
The food is earmarked for thousands of Zimbabweans who were left destitute by that country’s clean-up campaign.
SA ‘not insisting’ on talks
Meanwhile, South Africa wants President Robert Mugabe’s government to embark on economic reforms but is not insisting that the government speak to the opposition before it releases a $500-million loan, Zimbabwe’s state-controlled Herald newspaper reported on Thursday.
The Herald quoted an unnamed government official as saying it is untrue that South Africa is pushing for talks between Mugabe’s ruling party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) as a condition for the loan.
”The issue that is being raised by the South African media and local private media that the South African President [Thabo Mbeki] is now using the loan as a leverage for talks between the government and MDC is not true,” the official was quoted as saying.
The official said South Africa wants Zimbabwe to provide ”a comprehensive economic reform programme”, but has not spelled out the reforms demanded.
Zimbabwe is plagued by triple-digit inflation, critical shortages of foreign currency and high levels of poverty and unemployment.
”Like any other loans, there are bound to be certain requirements, and our counterparts have indicated to us that we should provide a comprehensive economic reform programme in which various stakeholders should contribute,” the official added.
Zimbabwe faces expulsion from the International Monetary Fund, to which it owes more than $290-million. It is believed that South Africa will help Zimbabwe meet its obligations to the international lender.
South Africa’s bid to aid Zimbabwe financially comes amid continental efforts to resolve Zimbabwe’s political impasse.
On Wednesday, the African Union announced that its chairperson, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, had appointed former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano to mediate in talks between the MDC and Mugabe’s Zanu-PF.
However, Mugabe and his government have categorically ruled out talks with the opposition.
Mugabe said earlier this week that if he is to talk to anybody, it should be British Prime Minister Tony Blair, whom he accuses of being behind the MDC. — Sapa, Sapa-DPA