SADC renews Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s mandate to facilitate peace in Lesotho

Pretoria - In response to media queries, the Presidency wishes to reiterate that the SADC Double Troika Summit held in Pretoria on Friday 3   July 2015 reappointed Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to continue with his facilitation work for peace and stability in the Kingdom of Lesotho. This followed the recent killing of Lt. General Maaparankoe Mahao and the fleeing of several opposition leaders to South Africa.

An oversight committee which will act as early warning mechanism in the event of signs of instability will be established and intervene in  onsultation with the Facilitator, Deputy President Ramaphosa.

This renewal of the Facilitation Mandate also came against background of the tabling and endorsement of Deputy President Ramaphosa’s final report on his Facilitation process to restore peace and stability in Lesotho in 2014.

This facilitation process culminated in the signing of the Maseru Facilitation Accord, the Maseru Security Accord and the Electoral Pledge.

The signing of these agreements helped create a climate conducive for the re-opening of Lesotho’s parliament in 2014, the stabilisation of the security situation and the holding of democratic elections early this year which were declared free, fair and credible by electoral observer missions.

Deputy President Ramaphosa also tabled his reflections on the proposed constitutional and sector reforms to the SADC Double Troika Summit. These reflections were adopted by the Summit which made a call to all Lesotho’s political parties to implement the recommendations of the Facilitator, Deputy President Ramaphosa and urged them to undertake constitutional and security sector reforms assisted by SADC.

The SADC Double Troika also decided to establish a commission of enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Lt. General Maaparankoe Mahao while agreeing to second two pathologists from South Africa to assist with the post-mortem process.

Meanwhile, a team of investigators from Zimbabwe and Namibia would be made available to assist with investigation related to the death of Lt. General Mahao. In this regard SADC leaders conveyed their message of condolences to the Mahao family, his Majesty the King and the government of Lesotho.

Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Issued by: The Presidency

Pretoria