Mbeki and Mugabe meet amid growing violence

SOUTH African President Thabo Mbeki yesterday held intensive talks with veteran counterpart Robert Mugabe over Zimbabwe’s post-election crisis, as doctors reported a dramatic rise in violence.

Mbeki, the southern African region’s chief mediator on Zimbabwe, went straight into talks with Mugabe after arriving in Harare for his first visit since the announcement of presidential election results.

The talks at State House lasted for more than three hours before Mbeki left for the South African embassy in Harare without making any comment to reporters.