JOHANNESBURG (AFP) — Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was freed from police detention after a phone appeal by South African President Thabo Mbeki to the Harare government, Mbeki's spokesman said Thursday.
"Discussions did take place with government representatives in Harare in which the president (Mbeki) appealed for Mr Tsvangirai's release," Mukoni Ratshitanga told AFP.
The phone conversation with unnamed representatives of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's government came shortly after Tsvangirai was held at a police roadblock on Wednesday lunchtime. Tsvangirai was released later in the evening.
Mbeki is the chief mediator between Mugabe's ruling party and Tsvangirai's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.
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