Cape Town – The Mozambican government has not asked the South African government for help after the outbreak of violence there this week, the Minister in the Presidency for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Collins Chabane, said today.
Briefing media in Parliament following yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Chabane said the Mozambican government was at the moment able to handle the situation, but added that Cabinet was worried about the outbreak of violence in the neighbouring country after Renamo ended the 1992 peace deal earlier this week.
“It’s a serious worry, not only to us as a neighbour but also to the continent as a whole,” said Chabane.
He said the stability of Mozambique was critical for economic growth in both the region and South Africa.
Mozambique's opposition party Renamo on Monday ended the peace deal with that country’s government, after the Mozambican army attacked its bush camp, raising concerns about security and stability in the country.
Renamo's spokesman Fernando Mazanga said in a statement that the military attack signaled the annulment of the 21-year-old peace deal it signed with the Mozambican government in Rome to end the 16-year civil war.
Renamo leader Alfonso Dhlakama managed to escape unscathed to an undisclosed location, Mazanga said.
Mozambique's defence forces confirmed late on Monday that the army had stormed mountainous Satungira, Renamo's guerrilla war-time stronghold, in central Sofala province.
The army surrounded the bush camp for about two days before the surprise attack, forcing the former rebel movement's leader, guarded by an estimated 300 armed militants, to abandon the bush residence where he'd lived for over a year.
Renamo's reaction raises serious concerns about the stability of Mozambique, which is considered one of the fastest-growing African economies after the discovery of off-shore natural gas and coal reserves.
Cost-cutting measures
Turning to the cost-cutting measures outlined yesterday by the Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan while presenting his Medium Term Budget Policy Statement, Chabane said the Presidency would study the measures before any decision is made on whether to cut accommodation, travel and entertainment costs for President Jacob Zuma.
Chabane said government had already started implementing the National Development Plan (NDP) by getting departments to align their respective programmes and strategy plans with the NDP. He said government would not be swayed by any parties that were not in favour of the NDP.
Meanwhile, the President is expected in the weeks ahead to open a range of completed infrastructure projects, coordinated by the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission (PICC).
Zuma is expected to launch the Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) next Thursday, pay a site visit to the De Hoop Dam in Limpopo next Saturday and also travel to the Eastern Cape to launch the first automotive wagons built in South Africa on November 5.
He will also officially open the Ladybrand Hospital in the Free State on November 22.
Last Saturday, Zuma launched Bridge City train station that will service Umlazi in Durban.
He has also opened a number of other projects recently, including work on the R81 and R71 roads in Limpopo and De Beers’ Venetia Mine in Vhembe, Limpopo.
Cabinet also welcomed the progress on the bus rapid transit (BRT) systems in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Rustenburg.
Chabane said the projects would position the economy for higher growth and help create more jobs.
Infrastructure Development Bill approved
The Infrastructure Development Bill was among several bills Cabinet approved yesterday.
The bill establishes in the law the PICC and the National Infrastructure Plan as key mechanisms to coordinate and drive infrastructure development.
The bill provides a legal framework for the build programme and helps to improve its effectiveness.
Cabinet also approved the introduction of the Draft Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill, Rental Housing Amendment Bill, Attorney’s Amendment Bill, State Attorney’s Amendment Bill, Draft Property Valuation Bill, draft Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill and the Public Administration Management Bill.
Among other things, the Public Administration Management Bill prohibits public servants from doing business with government.
President Zuma is expected to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from Tuesday to Wednesday next week. – SAnews.gov.za-Xinhua
