Zuma responds to political crisis in Zimbabwe

Military vehicles blocked roads outside the Zimbabwean parliament on Wednesday.

It comes after army generals denied staging a coup but used state TV to vow to target "criminals" close to President Robert Mugabe, AFP reports.

Jacaranda FM News' Zimbabwe correspondent, Zenzele Ndebele, says from what's happening on the ground, it looks like the military is definitely in charge. 

Ndebele says reports are emerging of a number of arrests.

These photos show the military presence on the streets of Zimbabwe on Wednesday. 

In his statement, Zuma calls for calm and restraint. 

He says he hopes that the developments in Zimbabwe would not lead to unconstitutional changes of government "as that would be contrary to both SADC and African Union positions".

"The President has urged the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Defence Force to resolve the political impasse amicably and has urged the Zimbabwean Defence Force to ensure that the maintenance of peace and security in the country is not compromised," the statement says. 

READ: South Africans in Zimbabwe urged to keep contact

SADC will continue to closely monitor the situation and remains ready to assist where necessary to resolve the political impasse in keeping with established SADC Protocols and processes.  

For more on this and other developing stories, here's your latest Newswatch bulletin.