DP Ramaphosa to attend Lesotho inauguration

Thursday, June 15, 2017

Pretoria - Deputy President and SADC Facilitator Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday join regional and international leaders in Lesotho for the inauguration of the Prime Minister-elect Tom Thabane, the Presidency confirmed on Thursday.

The inauguration follows the recent general elections in which Thabane won. The vote was called three years early following a vote of no confidence against Pakalitha Mosisili.

Deputy President Ramaphosa extended his profound congratulations to the people of Lesotho and commended them for conducting peaceful elections, while urging all stakeholders to accept the outcome of the elections.

“The Deputy President reiterated his view that the holding of democratic elections in the Kingdom of Lesotho underlines the determination of the people of the region and the continent to ensure good political and economic governance as part of the building blocks towards the renewal of the continent and the achievement of Agenda 2063,” the Deputy President’s spokesperson, Ronnie Mamoepa, said.

The inauguration comes as reports indicate that Thabane’s wife, Lipolelo, was shot dead on Wednesday, an act which could threaten to throw the mountain kingdom into new turmoil.

It's not clear how the killing of Thabane's wife will affect proceedings of the inauguration. – SAnews.gov.za