Zimbabwean opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai snubbed mediation efforts by South African President Thabo Mbeki when he, at the last minute, failed to turn up for a meeting at Zimbabwe House, where he was scheduled to meet President Mugabe on Saturday, The Sunday Mail reported.

This was despite the fact that Tsvangirai had, on about four occasions, asked Mbeki to facilitate a meeting between him and Mugabe and had given assurance to the SA leader that he would attend Saturday's meeting.

Zimbabwe's opposition leader of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Morgan Tsvangirai speaks to a group of villagers in Nkayi, 185 km (115 miles) east of Bulawayo June 7, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

However, the president of the other MDC formation, Arthur Mutambara, his secretary-general Welshman Ncube and his deputy Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga attended the meeting.

Zimbabwean Vice-President Joice Mujuru also attended the meeting together with the Zanu-PF representatives to the inter-party talks, Patrick Chinamasa and Nicholas Goche.

Sources privy to the details of the meeting on Saturday told The Sunday Mail that Tsvangirai had been asking Mbeki to facilitate a meeting with President Mugabe even before the March 29 harmonized elections.