Minister Nkoana-Mashabane arrives in Lesotho

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Pretoria - International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has arrived in Maseru, Lesotho, ahead of the launch of the SADC Election Observer Mission.

South Africa, which has been mediating with political parties in that country, will lead the mission scheduled to be launched on Wednesday.

Minister Nkoana-Mashabane will be representing President Jacob Zuma, who is the Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation - which is responsible for the maintenance of peace and stability in the region.

“SADC Election Observer Missions play an important role in observing adherence to democratic principles and practices in the conduct of elections in the region,” Dirco spokesperson Clayson Monyela said on Tuesday.

Following the launch of the SADC Election Observer Mission, it is expected that SADC Election Observers will be deployed to all the districts in Lesotho in preparation for the elections on 28 February.

Following the elections, the mission will, as practice, issue a preliminary statement on the outcome of the elections, Monyela added.

The launch of the mission will be tailed by the SADC Troika of Heads of State and Government meeting which will meet later this week to give impetus to efforts to create peace and stability in Lesotho.

The Troika meeting involves presidents of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

As Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation since August 2014, South Africa has led successful SADC Election Observer Missions in Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, Mauritius and Zambia.

The missions found that elections in these countries were peaceful, transparent, credible, and free and fair, thus reflecting the will of the people. - SAnews.gov.za