SADC foreign ministers to meet on Zimbabwe situation

An urgent foreign ministers meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been called to discuss the unfolding political and security situation in neighbouring Zimbabwe.

South African President Jacob Zuma, in his capacity as the SADC chair, called for the meeting to be held on Thursday at the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana, Xinhua news agency reported.

The meeting will be attended by foreign ministers from the current member states of the rotating SADC leadership, including the SADC Organ Troika -- Angola, Tanzania and Zambia, and the SADC Council presidency South Africa.

Zimbabwe's 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe was reportedly put under house arrest since early Wednesday by the military.

Zimbabwe's military announced on state TV that they were not taking over the government, but "targeting criminals around" Mugabe, and that Mugabe and his family were safe and their security was guaranteed.

Earlier on Wednesday, Zuma said he was sending special envoys to Zimbabwe. South Africa's Defence and Security Ministers will go to Zimbabwe to meet with Mugabe and leaders of the Zimbabwean defence force.

The special envoys will also travel to Angola to meet with President Joao Lourenco, chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, and brief him on the situation.

Zuma has repeated the call for calm and restraint, and urged the Zimbabwean military to ensure that peace and stability are not undermined.

The SADC will continue to monitor the situation closely, Zuma said.

Zuma spoke to Mugabe earlier on Wednesday. Mugabe indicated that he was confined to his home by the army but said he was fine.

--IANS

in/