Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe (1st R) adjusts his earphone while attending the 11th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) in the Sharm El-Sheikh International Congress Center in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, June 30, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) 

The SA leader then approached Mugabe, who agreed to meet the opposition leader, but the meeting could not take place earlier due to other commitments.

It is understood that Mbeki spoke to Tsvangirai last Thursday, when they agreed that the meeting should take place on Saturday at Zimbabwe House.

Last Friday, Mbeki then dispatched his Minister of Local Government and Housing, Sydney Mufumadi, together with another government official to Harare to make preparations for the meeting.

On arrival in Zimbabwe, Mufumadi met Mugabe who gave him the commitment that he would attend the meeting. The SA minister then spoke to Ncube and Tsvangirai, who both agreed that they would attend the meeting.

However, Tsvangirai was reportedly against the idea that the negotiators to the talks (Chinamasa, Goche, Ncube) should attend the meeting, saying he wanted the meeting to be attended by Mugabe, Mbeki and Mutambara only.

The MDC-T leader also wanted an expanded mediation team that would include representatives seconded by the African Union (AU).

However, during the summit that was recently held in Egypt, the AU did not pass a resolution calling for the expansion of the mediation team. Instead, the AU commended the sterling efforts being made by President Mbeki and recommended that the mediation efforts should be continued.

Despite the concerns, Tsvangirai gave Mufamadi the assurance that he would attend the meeting and it was agreed that they would meet at the residence of the SA Ambassador to Zimbabwe, from where they would all depart to Zimbabwe House on Saturday afternoon.

Tsvangirai's aides even went to the residence on Saturday without their boss and informed the SA minister that the meeting should be postponed.