Zuma convenes Sadc double troika summit

CAPE TOWN — South Africa is set to host the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Double Troika summit to be held in Pretoria today, the presidency has said in a statement.

“President Jacob Zuma, as the chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), will convene a Sadc Double Troika Summit of heads of state and government on 15 September 2017 in Pretoria,” the statement said.

The summit was to be held as a result of the recent political and security development in the kingdom of Lesotho where, among other things, the commander of the Lesotho defence force lieutenant general Khoantle Motsomotso was assassinated.

Sadc sent a ministerial fact-finding mission to Lesotho to assess the situation following the killing of Motsomotso on September 5.

Motsomotso was shot dead by rival officers at a military barracks in an apparent assassination set to revive instability in the mountainous African kingdom.

“In order to avert the possibility of further deterioration of security in the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Sadc is immediately deploying a ministerial fact finding mission to the kingdom of Lesotho from 7 to 10 September 2017. The Mission will comprise Organ Troika Ministers plus Sadc Chair accompanied by Defence and Security experts,” Sadc said at the time.

The summit in Pretoria on Friday was expected to be briefed on the findings.

“The summit will be briefed on the report of the ministerial fact finding mission to the Kingdom of Lesotho conducted by the rogue elements fingered in the Phumaphi Commission of Inquiry Report in order to chart a way forward on the necessary support to the Kingdom of Lesotho,” the statement said.

The extra-ordinary summit was in line with the functioning of Sadc where the chair usually became the host of meetings during the period of chairship, the statement said.

President Zuma was expected to be joined by heads of state and government from Swaziland, Angola, Tanzania and Namibia. — AFP