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Sout
h Africa's most powerful church leader was expected to leave
for Britain later this month following a meeting with Zimbabwean
President Robert Mugabe, a senior church official said
Thursday.
Archbishop of Cape Town Njongonkulu Ndungane will meet the
Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, to discuss ways of
restoring dialogue between London and Harare, said South African
Council of Churches (SACC) general secretary Molefe Tsele.
"The critical issue here is: 'Is there a way of revisiting the
process of a relationship between Zimbabwe and England, which
according to President Mugabe, ended when the Labour Party came to
power in Britain," Tsele said.
"The Archbishop will be travelling to London later in February on
official business and during that time he hopes to have a private
audience with the Archbishop of Canterbury," Tsele told AFP.
The SACC also Thursday offered help to members of the opposition
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) exiled in South Africa, as
well as what they termed "Zimbabwean leaders running away from the
tensions of the Zimbabwe crisis".
"The Churches will also consider providing food to 46 exiled MDC
refugees in South Africa who are wanted by the Zimbabwean
government," Tsele said.
Ndungane and Tsele returned from Zimbabwe last Friday after
face-to-face talks with Mugabe.
Ndungane said Mugabe told him the root cause of Zimbabwe's troubles
was the fact that British Prime Minister Tony Blair had reneged on
certain agreements by his predecessors, Margaret Thatcher and John
Major, on compensation for land reform in Zimbabwe.
The head of the Anglican Church in South Africa said the visit to
Zimbabwe came after the church had been inundated with letters
wanting to know what church leaders were doing to help Zimbabweans
facing starvation and political violence.
Tsele said Ndungane had upon his return to South Africa phoned the
Archbishop of Canterbury, but no formal discussions had taken
place.
"There are plans to follow up on these issues because we think its
urgent and there is willingness from Canterbury to be of
assistance. We are hopeful in that respect," Tsele added.
Meanwhile, the South African Catholic's Bishops Conference called
on the government on Thursday to intervene urgently in the crisis
in Zimbabwe, in the same way it had played a part in resolving
other conflicts in Africa - Sapa-AFP.
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