(TALKZIMBABWE) Mothlanthe says Zim parties 'lackadaisical' in ending crisis

Mothlanthe says Zim parties 'lackadaisical' in ending crisis
AFP/TZG
Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:15:00 +0000

ZIMBABWE'S parties have had a "lackadaisical" attitude toward ending a months-long stalemate, despite a worsening humanitarian crisis, South African President Kgalema Motlanthe said Friday.

"The sooner an inclusive government is formed, the sooner there can be concerted efforts by all parties to deal with a massive humanitarian crisis," Motlanthe said in an interview with The Mail and Guardian newspaper.

"But the fact is that the parties there have sometimes had a lackadaisical attitude to these matters," he said.

President Motlanthe urged the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party (MDC-T) to settle its outstanding issues with President Robert Mugabe after creating a unity Government.

MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and President Mugabe signed a Global Political Agreement nearly four months ago, but the deal has stalled over disputes on how to share power in the new Cabinet.

The Agreement was meant to lift the country from the current political and economic crisis.