"We All Know Zimbabwe Has Various Economic, Political Challenges," - SA Foreign Affairs Minister

South Africa’s Foreign Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor on Friday said Zimbabwe has socio-economic and political crises which need to be resolved.

Pandor spoke when Zimbabwean authorities have said the country has no crisis that warrants international intervention. Speaking to Radio 786 on Friday morning, Pandor said:

We all know that Zimbabwe has various economic challenges and that their current situation impacts on South Africa because many Zimbabweans come to seek a livelihood in South Africa. We have to work with Zimbabwe in order to address that economic situation and find a way of helping to reverse the current situation so that the citizens of Zimbabwe can happily return to their country.

Pandor added that there is undeniably a political problem in Zimbabwe adding that the people of Zimbabwe have to find a solution to it.

She also stated that Special Envoys sent to Zimbabwe by President Cyril Ramaphosa were sent to assess reports of governance and rights abuses.

The Special Envoys have since returned to South Africa without seeing the opposition and other stakeholders amid reports that President Mnangagwa barred them.

Zimbabwean and South African authorities, however, say other stakeholders were not snubbed as the envoys were only supposed to meet Mnangagwa.

More: The Zimbabwean