Featured National
Monica Mutsvangwa Says Mnangagwa Meeting With Ramaphosa’s Envoys Was Mere “Peer-To-Peer” Chat.
14 August 2020
Spread the love

Paul Nyathi

The South African special envoys being received at Harare State House.

Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa has belittled the much talked about meeting between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s envoys saying that the visit was a peer-to-peer engagement between the two Presidents.

Addressing the media in Harare after a cabinet meeting, Minister Mutsvangwa said there had been false claims from several quarters that there was a crisis in Zimbabwe.

“All said, there is no crisis in Zimbabwe that needs external intervention under established international treaties and conventions. It is important that we refute press claims of a crisis in Zimbabwe. ‘Crisis’ in diplomacy has specific and defined circumstances that go beyond day-to-day banter,” she said.

On Monday, President Mnangagwa held a meeting with three envoys from President Ramaphosa who included former South African Minister of Safety and Security Dr Sydney Mufamadi, who was leading the team, the former Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete and former Minister of Public Service and Administration Advocate Ngoako Ramatlhodi.

“This was at the peer-to-peer level of brotherly Heads of State of two sister nations that enjoy excellent diplomatic bilateral relations. The envoys brought in their message, which was duly delivered to the host President. In return they received a briefing from President ED Mnangagwa. The reciprocal messages are the property of the leaders and it is their prerogative as to how they can be handled or disseminated,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

She said comments from some figures in the ANC, and irate remarks from South African opposition ranks, should not be taken as the basis of creating perceptions or attributions of a crisis in other nations.

She said in Zimbabwe there is no crisis to talk about but a mere opposition, which lost elections in 2018 but then threatened not to accept elections results that did not declare them as winners.

“The subjective opinions, be they from third party political entities or diplomatic circles, are not the proper guide in the conduct of diplomacy among sovereign and friendly nations,” she said.