By Nelson Banya
Harare - South Africa said on Thursday it will withhold aid for Zimbabwe until a representative government is in place, in what appeared to be the first punitive measure by a regional country to enforce a power-sharing agreement.
Toughening its stand, the South African government said it was "extremely concerned" about Zimbabwe's political impasse, which has deepened a humanitarian crisis. It called for mature leadership to resolve outstanding issues.
The statement came as President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) prepared to hold another round of talks in South Africa next week to seek a breakthrough.
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The money being withheld - R300-million meant for agricultural assistance - is a small fraction of foreign aid to Zimbabwe, but carries symbolic weight as a sign of irritation in its powerful neighbour.
"This money will be only disbursed once a representative government was in place and in time for the next planting season in April 2009," a statement from the South African cabinet said.
Doubts have grown about Zimbabwe's September 15 power-sharing agreement and Mugabe is trying to push through a constitutional amendment allowing him to name a cabinet alone, which could lead to the unravelling of the deal with the opposition.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has refused to enter the government, accusing Mugabe of trying to grab the powerful ministries. The main obstacle in talks is the issue of who runs the home affairs ministry, which oversees the police.
Mark Schroeder, director of risk analysis for sub-Saharan Africa at Stratfor, doubted South Africa's move would sway Mugabe and his supporters and interpreted the aid move as largely symbolic.
"It is not sufficient for them to yield power to Tsvangirai," he said. "It is a small step and could be an initial negotiating stance. But a lot more needs to be done."
The September deal had raised hopes that a new leadership would get on with the task of rescuing the ruined economy. The stalemate has frustrated Zimbabweans and regional impatience is growing.
"We're going to make sure that everything is done to force the parties to go back to the negotiating table," South African cabinet spokesperson Themba Maseko told reporters.
The power struggle between Mugabe and his old foe Tsvangirai has overshadowed daily hardships including food and fuel shortages and hyperinflation that have driven millions of Zimbabweans out of the country and strained regional economies.
Zimbabwe's gold output, which accounts for a third of its export earnings, hit an all-time monthly low of 125 kg in October as economic woes forced more mine closures, a mining official said on Thursday.
Zimbabwe's rival parties will meet with former South African President Thabo Mbeki, who is mediating, next week in South Africa to discuss the deadlock, the South African foreign ministry said.
Before Mbeki was ousted as president in September by his ruling African National Congress, he had been accused by critics of failing to take a tough enough stand on Zimbabwe.
Mugabe's foes say he has destroyed the country, but the 84-year-old leader, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, says the economy has been sabotaged by forces opposed to his nationalist stance.
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