Ramaphosa to brief SADC on Lesotho visit

18th January 2016 By: African News Agency

Ramaphosa to brief SADC on Lesotho visit

Cyril Ramaphosa
Photo by: Reuters

South African Deputy President and Southern African Development Community (SADC) facilitator Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to present a report on his recent visit to Lesotho, to the SADC extra-ordinary double troika summit scheduled for Gaborone on Monday.

The SADC double troika comprises of Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania.

President Jacob Zuma is leading the South African government delegation to the summit in his capacity as the outgoing chairman of the SADC organ on politics, defence, and security co-operation, the presidency said in a statement on Sunday.

The SADC summit was expected to consider the political and security situation in the SADC region, with specific reference to the situation in Lesotho. In this regard, Ramaphosa would present a report to the summit on his visit in December 2015 to Lesotho.

The visit arose from a decision of the SADC organ, held in Johannesburg last year. Following the receipt of the report of the SADC commission of inquiry into the death of Brigadier Maaparankoe Mahao, the SADC organ was informed of a court challenge in Lesotho initiated by a Lesotho national against the SADC commission of inquiry.

The SADC organ thus decided that Ramaphosa, as facilitator, should urgently visit Lesotho to convey SADC’s concerns regarding the court challenge.

Ramaphosa was expected to return to South Africa later on Monday, the presidency said.