Johannesburg  - Sounding gloomy about the prospects for reaching agreement with President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF on a unity government, Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change on Wednesday proposed taking over some of government's responsibilities.

In a statement issued on the second day of fresh multi-party talks in South Africa, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said in the absence of "any progress" the MDC was now "committing itself to addressing the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe."

"In the absence of a legitimate government in Zimbabwe, in the absence of a government of Zimbabwe that puts the will and welfare of the people first, the MDC must take on this leadership responsibility," Tsvangirai said.

While assuring he was not pulling out of a September power-sharing deal with Mugabe, Tsvangirai called on "any country, regional or international, multilateral bodies and NGOs to join with the MDC and the people of Zimbabwe in helping us solve the problems of our country."

His appeal followed a call by Botswana for Zimbabwe's neighbours to close their borders with the country in a bid to oust Mugabe, who clung onto power this year despite defeat in two elections.

Botswana's Foreign Minister Phandu Skelemani told the BBC that Zimbabwe's neighbours should tell Mugabe: "'Look, now you are on your own, we are switching off, we are closing your borders,' and I don't think he would last.

"If no petrol went in for a week, he can't last," added Skelemani, whose country is pushing for fresh elections in Zimbabwe said.

Skelemani also told the BBC Botswana was prepared to harbour Tsvangirai as a leader in exile. It was not clear whether he was referring to a specific plan or was speaking in theoretical terms.

Both Mugabe and Tsvangirai are under growing pressure to strike agreement on a government that can pull Zimbabwe back from the status of failed state.

As the death toll in a cholera outbreak caused by the breakdown of the health and sanitation systems rose to 366, Mugabe's government continues to rule out declaring an emergency.

In total, close to 9,000 cases of the diarrheal disease have been reported, and a further 200 cases - four of them fatal - across the border in South Africa.

Negotiators from Zanu-PF and two factions of the MDC, the bigger one led by Tsvangirai and a breakaway faction led by scientist Arthur Mutambara, have been meeting in South Africa since Tuesday to discuss sticking points in the formation of a government.

Among the issues still on the table are the wording of a constitutional amendment that would set out Tsvangirai's powers as prime minister relative to Mugabe, and the distribution of cabinet portfolios between the MDC and Zanu-PF.

The current proposed government, backed by the regional Southern African Development Community, is heavily skewed in Zanu-PF's favour, giving it control of nearly all the key ministries, bar finance, despite the MDC being the biggest party in parliament. (dpa)