Justice minister in SA for talks

Zimbabwe Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa met his South African counterpart on Monday to discuss the state of the judiciary in crisis-torn Zimbabwe, the South Africa Press Association (SAPA) reported. "The purpose of his visit is, amongst others, to brief the minister on the situation of the judiciary in Zimbabwe," said a statement issued by South African Justice Minister Penuell Maduna. Zimbabwe last week averted a constitutional crisis by reinstating Chief Justice Anthony Gubbay until 1 July and withdrawing allegations of bias against him. For two days, Gubbay, 69, had defied a government order to take early retirement from 1 March while the government insisted he was retired and that it would go ahead and appoint a successor. But in a deal later worked out between Gubbay and Chinamasa, Gubbay agreed to go on pre-retirement leave immediately and to retire 10 months early at the end of June. President Robert Mugabe's supporters have threatened to chase some white judges out of courtrooms and to invade the homes of those seen as opposed to the government.