Johannesburg/Harare  - Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change candidate Morgan Tsvangirai is considering pulling out of next week's runoff presidential election, South African media reports said Friday.

South African radio said Tsvangirai was citing the escalating violence against his supporters by followers of President Robert Mugabe as one reason.

Another, as reported in The Star newspaper, was the failed mediation in Zimbabwe earlier this week of South African President Thabo Mbeki after his meeting with both candidates in next Thursday's scheduled poll.

Tsvangirai had backed Mbeki's proposal for a coalition government, but Mugabe rejected it outright. (dpa)