MDC-T is making frantic efforts to raise funds ahead of anticipated national elections next year and the party’s standing committee met a group of financiers in Johannesburg, South Africa, last Friday.

The standing committee is MDC-T’s highest decision-making organ between congresses.

The MDC-T delegation returned on Sunday with party organising secretary Engineer Elias Mudzuri, his deputy Mr Morgan Komichi and national youth chairman Thamsanqa Mahlangu staying behind for unknown reasons.

Sources within the party yesterday said MDC-T coffers were strained and they needed to deal with donor fatigue that has dogged their operations for months now.

The MDC-T delegation stayed at the Pivot Hotel while the meetings were held at the Plaza Hotel in Johannesburg.

Party deputy president Ms Thokozani Khupe then proceeded to the United Kingdom to meet Western donors.

MDC-T spokesperson Mr Nelson Chamisa yesterday denied the meetings.

"I was not in South Africa and I don’t know of these meetings. Gather your facts properly," Mr Chamisa said.

While Mr Chamisa denied being in South Africa, he was on Sunday seen at the Harare International Airport disembarking from a British Airways Comair flight from Johannes-burg.

Mr Chamisa was in the company of other senior officials.

However, Mr James Maridadi, who is party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s spokesman in his capacity as Prime Minister, confirmed the South Africa trip.

Mr Maridadi said: "It was just an ordinary visit and we did not hold any meetings there. Ms Khupe proceeded to the UK on Government business."

However, a source said: "On the second of June the standing committee met one of our traditional donors, Mr Max Garzio.

"Mr Garzio is based in South Africa but he also has strong links with our friends in the UK.

"Several other meetings were held with donors who promised to consider all financial issues raised by the leadership.

"The party is in need of funds to sustain the Prime Minister’s newsletter and the Changing Times, which resumed operations recently.

"The two papers are not profitable financially but we need them as a party."

The source said they needed to improve the flow of funds well ahead of elections.

Westerners have openly funded MDC-T in the past, in contravention of the Political Parties (Finance) Act that bars external funding for political formations.

Donor fatigue has led to the forced reassignment of officials in the parallel structures in the PM’s Office to the party’s headquarters at Harvest House in Harare.

The PM’s Office is reportedly struggling to sustain the huge payroll arising from the parallel structures.

The officials reportedly earn between US$700 and US$7 000 while ordinary civil servants earn below US$265.