Zuma meets Lesotho king and leaders in attempt to resolve political crisis

THE leaders of Lesotho’s fractured ruling coalition have agreed after meeting President Jacob Zuma that they need outside facilitation to resolve an impasse which has paralysed the country’s parliament and threatened the stability of the mountain kingdom.

Zumaspent several hours in Maseru yesterday meeting Prime Minister Tom Thabane, his deputy, Mothetjoa Metsing, and Home Affairs Minister Joang Molapo as well as King Letsie III to end the crisis.

Zuma’s spokesman, Mac Maharaj, said they all agreed on the need for facilitation and Thabane, Metsing and Molapo would travel to Windhoek to brief Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba on their discussion with their decision.

Pohamba chairs the security committee of the Southern African Development Community which deals with political and security crises among member states.

Thabane’s All Basotho Convention formed a coalition government with the Lesotho Congress for Democracy, led by Metsing, and the Basotho National

Zuma

and Party, led by Thesele Maseribane, after the May 26, 2012 general election had resulted in a hung parliament.

However, Metsing has since accused Thabane of not consulting the coalition partners and has threatened to pull out of the government.

Thabane responded by suspending parliament for nine months until February 27 next year, which has provoked criticism from his opponents that he has also suspended democracy.

Maharaj said Letsie had met Zuma at the AU summit in Equatorial Guinea, and had persuaded him to intervene, fearing the country was heading towards instability.

Lesotho is a constitutional monarchy, so the king may not intervene directly in politics.

Maharaj said it was not yet clear who would facilitate further negotiations to try to end the crisis.

Meanwhile, activists gathered outside the Swazi embassy in Pretoria yesterday to protest against the lack of freedom of expression in Swaziland and to demand the release of Swazi editor Bheki Makhubu and human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko.

The action was called for by the Right2Know Campaign and Lawyers for Human Rights SA, which condemned the infringements on freedom of expression in Swaziland.

The two were found guilty of contempt of court in a Swazi court last week and were sentenced to two years in jail for articles published by the Nation Magazine criticising the justice system in Swaziland. PARIS: The world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris has called in pest exterminators after being overrun with rats.

The rats have become so bold they run on to the museum lawns in broad daylight, scaring tourists.

The hot weather in Paris has brought out picnicking visitors, whose rubbish left in the garden is a feast for the rodents. – orange news