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CAPE TOWN - The government of Zimbabwe should be suspended from the Commonwealth and a range of diplomatic and targeted sanctions be implemented against President Robert Mugabe's Cabinet, Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon said on Sunday.

Speaking on SABC's Newsmaker programme, he said Mugabe had a poor record of sticking to his word and there was no reason to believe he would abide by a recent commitment given to regional leaders to ensure free and fair elections.

"They (Zimbabwean government) break their word, they enter into agreements simply to buy time."

Mugabe faces the first major challenge to his presidency when Zimbabweans go to the polls in March.

Leon said he had written to the Commonwealth secretariat urging them to take action against Mugabe and his ministers. South Africa had to increase the pressure on its northern neighbour and could no longer rely on diplomacy to encourage that government to maintain the rule of law.

"Quiet diplomacy has been a total failure... the central issue is one man and one party trying to hang onto power after their sell-by date," he said.

African National Congress MP and National Executive Committee (NEC) member Pallo Jordan agreed that Mugabe had not kept his word in the past, but said many countries failed to abide by agreements they had entered into.

The United States - in its war on terrorism in Afghanistan - had not kept to the Geneva Convention, to which it was a signatory.

Zimbabwe was a sovereign country and diplomacy remained the best way of trying to influence developments there.

"We can only hope they (elections) will be free and fair... Zimbabwe is an independent country and we cannot force it to do what we want," Jordan said.

The ANC was hopeful that Mugabe would keep his word.

"They have made these indications and all that we can hope for is that they live by them."

There was evidence that the South African government's actions were beginning to deliver benefits, as shown by legislation aimed at stifling the press being put aside.

What could be done now was to increase pressure to ensure that independent election monitors be put in place in the country as soon as possible, he said. Jordan played down the possibility of a military coup should Mugabe lose the election.

Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders had made it clear at last week's Blantyre, Malawi conference that there would be consequences if such action was taken, he said.

Zimbabwe generals have said in the past that they would not support a president with no liberation struggle credentials.

Meanwhile, the City Press reported on Sunday that the ANC had at a NEC lekgotla over the weekend promised to work hard towards ensuring Mugabe's government lived up to its undertakings.

The party had formed commissions to look at different issues, one of them being Zimbabwe.

The ANC NEC had also held a bilateral meeting with Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF earlier this month, it said. Nampa-Sapa

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