South Africans Meet Mugabe's Opponents and Warn of 'meltdown'

South Africa yesterday intervened directly in the Zimbabwe crisis by meeting the country's opposition leaders for the first time in three years and hosting separate talks with the vice-president, Joice Mujuru

But following a week of international criticism over South Africa's failure to intervene after opposition leaders were beaten by Zimbabwean police, there was little hope of any immediate changes following the talks.

"It is difficult to see how a total meltdown won't take place," said South Africa's deputy foreign minister, Aziz Pahad, before the talks began. He said South Africa was trying to avert catastrophe by using "constructive diplomacy" to encourage dialogue between the Zimbabwean government and the opposition. Mr Pahad criticised Britain and the United States for using "megaphone diplomacy".

Zimbabwean opposition leaders from both factions of the Movement for Democratic Change described the talks as "very positive, very encouraging".

They said they got a good reception for their plans to draw up a new constitution and repeal repressive laws to prepare for free and fair elections. President Robert Mugabe was informed that the South African officials would be meeting with the Zimbawean opposition representatives.

"This is a major breakthrough for South Africa," said a Zimbabwean analyst, John Makumbe, in Harare. "South Africa cannot stand by as things get worse and worse. It is finally taking the initiative to get the ball rolling on negotiations. Unfortunately the talks will collapse at this stage because Mugabe does not want to talk to anyone. But now that process has started."

In Zimbabwe, however, there was no sign of a reduction in tensions as Mr Mugabe's government warned of a further crackdown on the foreign press.

The information ministry warned journalists, specifically naming the correspondents of two British newspapers - Jan Raath of the Times and Peta Thornycroft of the Daily Telegraph - that it might act against them.

The government told foreign correspondents not to engage in "peddling false stories" on security issues and threatened to clamp down on reporters who lack government permits, the state media reported .

It said reporters should "stay away from the security forces".

In Johannesburg, Zimbabwe's Roman Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube called for non-violent street rallies, even if it threatened his own safety, to force Mr Mugabe to resign.

"This dictator must be brought down right now by the people's power but not in a violent manner," he said. "If we can get 30,000 people together Mugabe will just come down.

"I would put myself on the line. I will stand before blazing guns. But we must be properly organised so we respond, not with fear, but with principled non-violence."

In Harare, President Mugabe continued his attacks on Britain and the US yesterday. "Nothing frightens me, not even little fellows like Bush and Blair. I have seen it all, I don't fear any suffering or a struggle of any kind," Mr Mugabe, 83, said to cheers from supporters at a meeting in the capital.