White party in Zimbabwe suffers another defection

The Republican Front (RF) party of former Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith lost its control over the white seats in Zimbabwe's Parliament with the defection of yet another rebel, chief whip (parliamentray floor manager) John Landau, who resigned to sit as an independent.

Eight other RF legislators quit last week to become independents in the House of Assembly, saying the party which dominated the final years of white Rhodesia had failed to adapt to black rule since independence came 23 months ago.