ALFREDO ZUNIGAAFP
Senior South African government and security officials held talks with their Mozambique counterparts Wednesday amid fears of an escalation of a violent dispute over the results of October elections in the neighbouring country.
Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola led the South African delegation at the meeting in Malelane, about 50 kilometres from the border.
On Monday, Mozambique's Constitutional Council is due to announce if it ratifies the results of the October 9 vote, which was rejected by the opposition.
Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane has called on his supporters to bring the country to "chaos" if the council confirms the election commission's announcement that he won 20 per cent, compared to 71 per cent for the ruling Frelimo party candidate.
The South African team wants to understand "what our counterparts see as the best way to resolve" the dispute and "in a manner that doesn't affect our side as well," foreign ministry spokesman Chrispin Phiri told the Newzroom Afrika channel on Tuesday.
The South African delegation comprises officials from key sectors, including the police, defence and trade.
Leading the Mozambique team is Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda.
Waves of demonstrations called by Mondlane have brought city centres to a standstill, disrupted power plants, blocked mines, and intermittently disrupted traffic at the main border between South Africa and Mozambique, holding up South African exports.
Around 130 people have been killed, according to the local civil society group Plataforma Decide, whose figures have been cited by Amnesty International.
Mondlane has urged his supporters to "paralyse" the southern African country should the Constitutional Council validate the election commission's results.
"If we get the electoral truth, we will go towards peace," Mondlane said in a live online broadcast on Monday.
"If it is an electoral lie, we will bring the country down to a precipice, chaos and disorder."
Mondlane claims that a separate count of the results found that he won 53 per cent of the vote, with Frelimo candidate Daniel Chapo having 36 per cent.
International observers have said several irregularities marred the October election.
© Agence France-Presse
