President Jacob Zuma, in his capacity as Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairperson, has called an urgent meeting to discuss the unfolding political and security situation in Zimbabwe.

The meeting follows hot on the heels of what is being described as a coup in Zimbabwe after the Zimbabwean Defence Force put Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe under military guard and seized control of the state broadcaster.

The meeting is expected to take place in Gaborone, Botswana on Thursday afternoon and will be attended by ministers responsible for foreign or external affairs from the SADC Organ Troika member states, namely Angola, Tanzania and Zambia as well as SADC Council Chairperson Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, the South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.

On Wednesday, Zuma deployed a special envoy to deal with the situation in Zimbabwe.

Presidency spokesperson Dr Bongani Ngqulunga confirmed to News24 that the delegation led by Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and State Security Minister Bongani Bongo arrived in Zimbabwe.

It is not certain at this point whether the envoy has met with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe or the Zimbabwean Defence Force yet.

The current situation appears to have come after Mugabe fired vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa last week.