Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was prevented from travelling to South Africa on Thursday for a summit of Southern African leaders after he was detained at Harare airport and his travel documents were confiscated. Tsvangirai was released shortly after but his documents were not returned to him, said his spokesperson, George Sibotshiwe.

Robert Mugabe stood defiant on Monday in the face of mounting pressure to relinquish the executive power he has held for 28 years. As regional trade unions met in South Africa to discuss a boycott of goods bound for his country, Zimbabwe’s president emerged from marathon talks with Morgan Tsvangirai, his arch-rival, to address a rally honouring fighters killed in the country’s liberation war.

Negotiations between the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe (NOCZIM) and two international petroleum companies to supply fuel to the country have collapsed over pricing, sources told ZimOnline.

More than 50 women, some as young as 13 and others as old as 60, have been gang raped and tortured by government-backed militias in Zimbabwe because of their support for the opposition, rights groups and victims say.

For Absalom Moyo* the relief in getting his asylum seeker permit is obvious. "It's like a dream come true," exclaims Moyo, who recently entered South Africa illegally, fleeing violence in his native Zimbabwe. "Receiving this so quickly has taken me by surprise and it has definitely made up for the horrible experience I went through when coming to South Africa," he says, displaying the permit he says has allowed him to relax and not always be on his guard.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai will hold a make-or-break meeting in Harare on Sunday aimed at finalising a power-sharing deal, a South African newspaper reported on Friday.

South African President Thabo Mbeki was expected to meet Zimbabwean political leaders in Harare on Thursday and the red carpet was rolled out for him, but it was rolled up again when Mbeki did not show. Reports now say he is expected at the weekend.

BAE Systems, the British arms manufacturer under investigation in several countries for alleged bribery, paid at least £20m to a company linked to a Zimbabwean arms trader allied to President Robert Mugabe, documents seen by the Financial Times show. John Bredenkamp, who has indefinite leave to remain in Britain, has had a controversial career ranging from supplying military equipment to the Zimbabwean military to mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said on Wednesday he hoped talks aimed at resolving the country's political crisis would give President Robert Mugabe an "honourable exit". Mugabe's Zanu PF party began power-sharing talks with the opposition in South Africa last week, but doubts have surfaced over progress after they were adjourned on Tuesday.

SADC appointed mediator and South African President Thabo Mbeki, arrived in Zimbabwe late on Wednesday to meet his Zimbabwean counterpart, Robert Mugabe and the leader of the smaller faction of the MDC, Arthur Mutambara as the negotiating talks are adjourned after leadership role differences.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's ruling party will not accept a power-sharing deal that fails to recognise his re-election or seeks to reverse his land reform programme, a state-owned newspaper said on Friday. The conditions, which the Herald newspaper said were agreed at a ZANU-PF politburo meeting earlier this week, could dim prospects for a deal at negotiations between Mugabe's party and two factions of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.

As members of Zimbabwe’s political elite finally sat down for talks in South Africa on Thursday, many of their fellow citizens who sought refuge in the country are facing deportation back to the homes they fled as a result of political violence.

In line with the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)’s information blitz activities programme, we will now be sending you a weekly update on the service delivery situation and other related issues in Harare. This alert will be titled ‘Harare Last Week’ and will be sent to you every week. This is the first issue of the ‘Harare Last Week; 13-19 July 2008’.

The Batsirai Group is a Zimbabwean non-governmental organisation working to strengthen community responses to HIV and AIDS. Following a successful one and half year placement focussing on community mobilisation, organisational learning as well as participatory monitoring and evaluation, the organisation is currently seeking to consolidate its work in promoting community participation in HIV and AIDS interventions among its target beneficiary communities. The Programme Adviser will therefore assist in strengthening systems documentation, knowledge management, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials production and dissemination.

The Development Worker will work as a Child Welfare Programme Development Adviser with the organisation to help build its capacity in organisational development (OD), effective programme design, planning and management, fundraising, networking, and marketing the organisation. S/he will also support the building of capacity in ZNCWC’s membership, including through the development of trainings / training materials so that the membership become more effective in responding to the needs of children

EU foreign ministers have stepped up their pressure against Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwean president for almost three decades, by adopting additional sanctions against his regime. The fresh sanctions will see travel restrictions and a financial embargo imposed on 37 people and four companies connected to Robert Mugabe. Similar measures against 131 Zimbabwean officials have already been in place for some time.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) welcomes the current moves towards a negotiated settlement to the ongoing political and economic crisis which has gripped Zimbabwe for the past ten years.

While we are still of the view that President Thabo Mbeki is not the best person to lead the mediation, we take note of the inclusion of the AU and the UN on the expanded mediation team.

We are reliably informed through rumours that an expanded mediation team, led by South African president Thabo Mbeki, is currently in Zimbabwe to facilitate the signing of the MoU.

Our concern however is that, there has not been openness and wider consultation on the drafting of the MoU. On behalf of labour, the MoU has not been availed to us for scrutiny or comment. The only time we have had a feel of the MoU, has been through the media, where we are told that MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai had at one time refused to sign it. Nothing more has been said about the document.

The process seems to have been left to the three antagonizing parties, that is, the MDC – T, the MDC – M and Zanu PF.

The current problems in Zimbabwe now require, not only a political solution, but concerted approach which involves all arms of the civic and political world.

Zimbabwe is not made up of supporters of Zanu PF and MDC alone, but a plethora of groupings which have to be consulted if the process is to gain wider acceptance by the majority.

On behalf of labour, we call upon the facilitators of the dialogue process to include civic groupings, churches, labour and political parties in the negotiation process.

It is our hope and wish that the above will be taken seriously for the outcome of the negotiating process to reflect the will of the people of Zimbabwe and not self seeking power sharing agendas.

*Please send comments to or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org/

The seizing of foreign newspapers, including The Zimbabwean, the Economist, and the Weekly Telegraph, just before the run-off election on June 27 on instructions from the military junta has cost the National Association of Independent Newspaper Distributors eye-watering trillions in hard currency.

Freelance journalist Frank Chikowore and the 13 alleged Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters, charged with inciting public violence and burning a bus, were on 14 July 2008 removed from remand. The presiding Magistrate, Margaret Rusinahama granted the application for removal of remand made by the defence lawyer, Alec Muchadehama, on the condition that it would not prejudice the state in anyway.

European Union countries will agree on Tuesday to widen sanctions on Zimbabwe, including more travel bans and asset freezes on supporters of President Robert Mugabe and measures against companies, diplomats said. "There is an agreement in principle on reinforcing the sanctions. Ministers will approve it soon," a EU diplomat said.