Cabinet report: What's next for Zimbabwe‚ tertiary fees‚ drought?

The South African envoys in Zimbabwe will meet with President Robert Mugabe and the Zimbabwean defence force before reporting back to SADC.

Addressing the post-cabinet meeting briefing‚ Communications Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said the South African team had arrived in Zimbabwe‚ where they would meet with Mugabe and the Zimbabwean defence force.

"Thereafter they will proceed to brief President Joao Lourenco as the chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics‚ Defence and Security."

Kubayi-Ngubane said there was no truth to rumours that Minister of State Security Bongani Bongo and Minister of Defence Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula had been turned back.

"They are in Zimbabwe and they are doing the work‚" she said.

Cabinet also discussed the release of the Heher Commission report on fee-free higher education‚ she said.

"The President will make an announcement on the report in due course after processing by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Higher Education funding and the Presidential Fiscal Committee."

She said the government was committed to a "sustainable solution for higher education funding".

Also discussed in Wednesday's cabinet meeting was the severe drought in parts of the country.

"The current dam levels in the country remain a concern as there is more evaporation than rainfall. The fact that South Africa has not received sufficient rainfall to recharge our water sources to adequate levels means that the country is not yet out of the drought situation‚" she said.