Mugabe may face resignation calls

But South African papers believe that change can only be achieved if President Robert Mugabe steps down.

"It is our fervent hope that the visit by the three leaders will bring finality to Zimbabwe's serious problems such as the biting sanctions that are crippling certain critical operations in the country," writes the pro-government Herald.

The paper urges the three African presidents not to be swayed by opposition "propaganda" in the negotiations.

African leaders carry a responsibility to help find African solutions to African problems South Africa's Sunday Times

"It is important for the three leaders to consider very carefully whether or not the cornerstones of democratic rule still prevail in Zimbabwe so as to be able to separate the propaganda from the reality in coming up with an assessment on the current situation in this country."

An editorial in the opposition Daily News says that the government's human rights violations and the state of the economy should be high on the talks' agenda.

"They should make it clear to Mugabe that he and his party have become liabilities to the nation as they are responsible for the collapsing economy that has reduced many Zimbabweans to beggars."

Mass uprising

Patriotic Zimbabweans in ZANU-PF must grab the bull by the horns and say enough is enough Zimbabwe's Standard

A separate commentator writing in the same paper urges caution, in a report entitled "Beware of these Nigerian and South African Trojan horses."

"There are those who tell me that the long-awaited light at the end of our long, dark tunnel is now in sight," he says. "Before we step forward, please, let us make sure it is not an oncoming train be it a diesel model running on Nigerian oil or an electric version running on South African electricity."

An editorial in the opposition Standard believes that although the high-level political delegation may go some way to resolving the country's problems members of the ruling Zanu-PF party must also take action.

"If the concerted efforts of the visit by the leaders of South Africa, Nigeria and Malawi are to bear fruit, then committed and patriotic Zimbabweans in ZANU-PF must grab the bull by the horns and say enough is enough."

"Why are you letting buffoons determine the course of the party?" it asks.

This view is echoed in the Daily News. "There is no prospect that the opposition Movement for Democratic Change will achieve power other than through the complete breakdown of the economy and some mass uprising against the present government," a commentator writes.

'Bad eggs'

A South African newspaper, the Sunday Times, is encouraged that its President Mbeki, accompanied by his Malawian and Nigerian counterparts are attempting to resolve Zimbabwe's political crisis.

"African leaders carry a responsibility to help find African solutions to African problems... today it is Zimbabwe's turn," the paper says.

But the paper stresses that the resignation of Mr Mugabe should be on the agenda. "Mr Mbeki should allow the rest of us to see the effort for what it is - an attempt to get rid of a despotic leader who has brought pain and more pain, to the people of that land."

This is echoed in South Africa's Business Day. But it warns that even Mr Mugabe steps down the country's problems would not be solved. "Mugabe's departure alone is no solution. Like Saddam's regime, his bad eggs must go with him."

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.