(Interview conducted with SABC and GCIS)

Question: Deputy President, South Africa was invited to Tanzania, Dar es Salaam to discuss the political crisis in Burundi and even before you could sit down to discuss that, something happened - first tell us as South Africa, as the guarantors of this agreement, the Arusha agreement what where you to bring on the table, what did you bring on the table.

Answer: Clearly as SA we are deeply concerned about the events in Burundi because they go completely against the legacy of the late former President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere who was the first facilitator - thereafter our own departed President Nelson Mandela who then handed the task to our President Jacob Zuma.

They created a very good and strong foundation for peace and stability in Burundi. So these events are spoiling and soiling that wonderful legacy of peace democracy and stability. That is what concerns us. It is for that reason that President Zuma felt that I should come and attend this summit.

Now at this summit, clearly as SA, we advocated very strongly that there needs to be a political approach and solution to the problems that currently beset Burundi; that we should focus on peace security and stability and make sure that what is happening - the flight of people who are leaving the country in droves should stop. The violence in the streets of Bujumbura should also stop and that people should settle down and try and resolve the problems in a peaceful way. Now that is South Africa’s strong position.

At the summit, which we attended on invitation, a very clear and strong decision was taken by the leaders that as things stand now, particularly in the light of the news of the coup, we do not believe as leaders, particularly here in the region, the leaders do not believe that the climate is conducive for elections to take place. And it is for that reason that the leaders in the summit called upon the authorities to immediately postpone the elections. To postpone them to a later date but not beyond the normal time when the mandate of the current government would have expired. What this would do is it will give all parties time to reflect. This will get people to cool down their tempers and they will get the situation under control. Peace should prevail so that a climate that is conducive for elections to take place should then be there and thereafter the elections can take place. 

And in the intervening period the region, the leaders in the region plus South Africa will be involved in dialogue and consultation with the various stakeholders in Burundi to make sure that the issues that are causing problems are resolved one way or another. 

Question: Would that resolution be to tell President Nkurunziza plain and clear the agreement that holds the country together now says your time is up and you cannot go for another term. Would South Africa be willing to tell that he is putting his country at risk?

Answer: Our approach is that we need to deal with the politics of what gives rise to these problems. And the politics of it all is that the Arusha agreement - the Arusha settlement dictated that there should be peace, democracy and stability in the country. And out of that arose a constitution which sets out what should be the terms of the President and all that. 

Now the constitutional court has given a view and there are legal opinions that have been put forward and all that has to be discussed and closely examined with the President and indeed other stakeholders.

Now the period between now and the holding of the elections - when they are postponed is going to give all parties, space, time and an opportunity to address all those issues in a political manner- so that the interest of the country are put way ahead of the interests of individuals or certain political parties but the interest of the whole nation- so that out of this there can be unity that is engendered, there can be unity of purpose as well and stability to move the country forward.

Question: For you what do you see as a risk for the region and for the continent if the situation in Burundi is not nipped in the bud? 

Answer: There is a high risk, strives that we have seen in Burundi in the past weeks can be so big, can threaten the stability of the country, and in fact the leaders who have gathered here feel it could also impact on the region because as people flee they are going to various countries in the region and that leads to instability of a number proportions for those countries and clearly Burundi stability is in the interest of all the countries in the region. And that is why the leaders said we cannot standby to see violence and political strive tearing Burundi apart, that should not be allowed. We will make sure that we work to stop the violence that is unfolding there.

Question: Are you hopeful?

Answer: I am very hopeful in spite of what would seem like a deteriorating situation like a coup, in spite of the intransigent of various parties I think the leaders in the region are determined to make sure that peace is found and I believe that it would be found, the determination is strong just as strong as strong can be to make sure Burundi does not deteriorate. 

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria