The Congress of South African Trade Unions handed a memorandum calling for a transition to democracy in Zimbabwe and Swaziland to a Southern African Development Community official in Sandton on Saturday.

"We, civil society organisations from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Swaziland, gathered at this meeting of SADC Heads of State in Johannesburg on August 16 2008, reassert our commitment to the struggle for a transition to democracy in Zimbabwe and Swaziland," the introduction to the memorandum read.

By Tom Burgis

Trade unions in Zimbabwe's neighbouring countries have agreed to ratchet up the pressure on Robert Mugabe's regime by staging a one-week boycott of all goods bound for the poverty-stricken country.

Zimbabwe's economy is already on the brink of -collapse, with inflation thought to be well above the official rate of 2.2m per cent.

A week-long boycott of goods destined for Zimbabwe and Swaziland will be launched next month throughout the Southern African region, Cosatu general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said on Tuesday.

"We commit ourselves to the creation of an effective momentum for sustained boycotts of goods destined for the two countries, throughout the region, with the trade union movement taking an active lead," said Vavi addressing the media in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.

By Munyaradzi Mutizwa

South Africa labour movement Cosatu on Tuesday announced that it will stage “‘massive” protests in Johannesburg against President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF regime during the SADC Head of State summit to be held in Midrand, South Africa, starting Friday.

Speaking at a press conference in Johannesburg Cosatu Secretary-General Zwelinzima Vavi said President Mugabe was an illegitimate leader of Zimbabwe and should not claim presidency of Zimbabwe in the presence of regional leaders.