That the majority of those who form part of the ANC’s appeals body will come from 101 elders – which faction will have the upper hand

The crisis in Zimbabwe is worse than what the Elders had imagined, it was announced in Johannesburg on Monday.

Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter and Graça Machel visited a church housing Zimbabwean refugees on Sunday as they continued efforts to ease the crisis.

Zimbabwe said it blocked the Elders from visiting on a humanitarian mission because they had not properly consulted with officials before the trip.

A delegation of the Elders has cancelled its trip to Zimbabwe after it was refused entry into the country, it was announced on Saturday.

Former UN chief Kofi Annan will travel to Zimbabwe, a spokesperson said on Thursday, despite objections by President Robert Mugabe’s government.