Sadc to discuss Zimbabwe today – after yesterday’s postponement

Leaders in the 15-country Southern African Development Community (SADC) are meeting at Sandton, Johannesburg again today after their Saturday evening meeting that deferred discussion on Zimbabwe, a senior MDC official said.
Yesterday’s discussion centred on the stand-off between Andy Rajoelina and Marc Ravalomanana in Madagascar. SADC has been involved in efforts to end a bitter two-year leadership row that has seen Madagascar’s deposed leader Ravalomanana exiled and his plans to return home blocked by Rajoelina.
Ravalomanana has been exiled in South Africa where he has lived since 2009 when President Andy Rajoelina seized power in the world’s fourth largest island with military backing.
Ravalomanana’s overthrow triggered a political crisis that has hammered the cobalt and nickel producing island’s economy and seen government spending fall dramatically after donors froze aid worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Discussion on Zimbabwe and consideration of a report by SADC’s security “troika”, which at a March meeting in Zambia and blasted President Robert Mugabe’s failure to make reforms paving the way for elections, is now slated for today.
As a result, President Mugabe is not adressing mourners at Edgar Tekere’s funeral at the National Heroes Acre today. Acting President John Nkomo adressed mourners at the Heroes Acre today.
Observers are closely watching SADC’s reaction to an an unusually harsh communique issued after the March 31 Livingstone summit of the SADC troika security unit which slammed political violence and intimidation, echoing concerns raised by Mugabe’s rival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.