Zuma aide disputes ZANU PF accusations

Zulu is leading a team of facilitators from South Africa, including veteran African National Congress leaders Mac Maharaj and Charles Nqakula. The trio were appointed by Zuma to get Zimbabwes three political parties to agree on an election roadmap, while fully implementing a 2008 power sharing deal.

A recent comment published by the ANC said; Negotiators are also concerned about the succession law, should Mugabe die or retire before the adoption of a new constitution, which is still being negotiated.

Even though the ANC never attributed the remarks to Zulu ZANU PF, through the state run Sunday Mail newspaper, launched a scathing attack blaming her for the remarks. It quoted a party official saying the remarks were tactless, inflammatory and an irresponsible display of poor judgment by an overzealous individual.

On Monday SW Radio Africa spoke to Lindiwe Zulu and she challenged ZANU PF to produce evidence of her having made the remarks. Let them produce those remarks, she said.

Political commentator Pedzisai Ruhanya told us; These are the usual tactics by ZANU PF and its intelligence department, the CIO, to disrupt the good work that Zuma and his adviser Lindiwe Zulu are doing in trying to resolve the Zimbabwe crisis impartially. He said they wanted to drag Zulus name into the mud and create some kind of crisis.

Ruhanya said it was clear ZANU PF are not happy with the more robust approach to the negotiations and they were now aiming to have Zuma removed as the chief mediator and be replaced by someone they feel will play to their tune.

There is a growing belief Jacob Zuma has toughened his attitude towards Mugabe in recent months and the ZANU PF leader is reported to have privately told aides the South African leader was now a threat that needed to be dealt with. The ZANU PF strategy allegedly includes isolating Zuma within the SADC region by calling into question his mediation effort. The attack on Zulu is seen as the first step towards this.

Its being reported that ZANU PF have already asked Zuma to remove Zulu from the facilitation team.

At the end of March the SADC Troika summit in Zambia called for an end to violence and intimidation in Zimbabwe, much to the annoyance of ZANU PF and Mugabe. Again the state owned media was used to launch attacks on Zumas presidency and Mugabe accused the SADC grouping of trying to interfere in Zimbabwes internal affairs.