Pretoria - As part of a relief effort to help civilians in the conflict-torn Gaza strip, the South African Government plans to fly in humanitarian aid next week, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Wednesday.
"South Africa, together with civil society have been looking at what humanitarian aid can be given to the people of Gaza.
"If all goes according to plan, there will be a flight departing for Gaza on 22 January," announced Foreign Affairs Director General (DG) Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba.
Government will be working with humanitarian organisations such as Gift of the Givers and the South African Council of Churches, among others, to put together the aid package.
Dr Ntsaluba said South Africa supports the recent United Nations (UN) resolution calling for a ceasefire which will lead to the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza within an unspecified time.
However, South Africa would rather like to press for an immediate withdrawal after a ceasefire has been reached, he said.
Government also fully supports the peace initiatives of the French and Egyptians presidents and hopes that a lasting solution can be found to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
With regard to Zimbabwe, the DG highlighted that following a fact finding mission to Zimbabwe, led by the former Minister in the Presidency Revered Frank Chikane, that a non-partisan co-ordinating mechanism will be established.
The co-ordinating mechanism, he said, will work with civil society as well as multilateral institutions to ensure food security and rehabilitation of the agricultural sector.
"It is of course early days to assess what success we will have with the co-ordinating mechanism," Dr Ntsaluba highlighted.
The DG highlighted that about 5.5 million people in Zimbabwe are facing starvation and are in need of food aid, but that any crops planted now would not be in time as the harvesting season was in April already.
Zimbabwe's Parliament is due to open on 19 January 2009 at which it is hoped Parliament will pass Constitutional Amendment 19, which makes provision for the creation of the post of Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Ntsaluba said.
Responding to questions regarding South Africa's position on recent calls for Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to be tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, the DG said South Africa would not support such a notion.
"As was the case with calls for Sudan's president to be indicted, we have found that taking someone to the ICC while trying to achieve peace is counter-productive," the DG said.
