'SA not trying to topple Mugabe'
15/09/2007 10:59 - (SA)
Pretoria - The South African presidency on Friday rejected as untrue reports that the government had been secretly working to remove Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe from power.
The presidency said in a statement it wished to "caution the media from falling victim of those who, for purposes of advancing political agendas which may be opposed to the resolution of the situation in Zimbabwe, peddle untruths which may impact negatively on the ongoing process of dialogue."
The statement said the latest report by the newspaper The Zimbabwean published in London and Johannesburg claimed to be privy to minutes which suggested that the South African government blamed Mugabe for the situation in Zimbabwe.
The report claimed that the "South African government has been secretly working to remove [President Mugabe] from power."
'Claims are devoid of truth'
It further claimed that "The SA officials have been lobbying for sustained international pressure to bear on the Mugabe regime."
These claims by The Zimbabwean were devoid of truth, the South African presidency said.
Addressing Parliament a fortnight ago, President Thabo Mbeki categorically stated that the South African Government had never, did not nor would support "regime change" in Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwean completely ignored this publicly stated position of government, the statement said.
It also did not make contact with the Presidency or the Department of Foreign Affairs to verify the authenticity of minutes it claimed to have in its possession.
