South Africa toughens stance on crisis

A South African government spokesman on Thursday said the country will take a hard line stance during a SADC summit set for Sunday in Johannesburg, to ensure that agreement is reached on Zimbabwe’s cabinet deadlock. Themba Maseko told reporters the impasse ‘is becoming a matter of extreme concern to us and we will be taking quite a hard stance.’ The tough talk is in stark contrast to mediator Thabo Mbeki’s softly soft approach.