Moseneke to lead Lesotho mediation team

IN 2014 PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA was appointed by the SADC Heads of State and Government as a facilitator in Lesotho.

Former South African Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke is set to lead the mediation team of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Facilitation in the Kingdom of Lesotho.

Moseneke’s appointment by President Cyril Ramaphosa will assist the President as he continues to facilitate the political national dialogue and reform processes in Lesotho.

“I take this opportunity to thank Justice Moseneke for availing himself to support us in this important mandate as we continue to assist our brothers and sisters in the Kingdom of Lesotho in their search for a lasting and sustainable solution to their political and security challenges,” said President Ramaphosa.

The decision is in line with the resolution taken at the SADC Double Troika Summit -- held on 24 April 2018 in Luanda, Angola -- where it was decided that President Ramaphosa should continue with the facilitation and recommended that he appoint high level personalities to support him.

In this regard, President Ramaphosa appointed Justice Moseneke as the leader of the mediation team. The team consists of three Deputy Ministers, namely Mohamed Enver Surty of Basic Education, Makgabo Regina Mhaule of International Relations and Cooperation and Ellen Molekane of State Security.

In September 2014, President Ramaphosa was himself appointed by the SADC Heads of State and Government as a SADC facilitator in Lesotho, following the country’s security and political challenges.

The outcomes was a report with key recommendations on constitutional, security sector, judiciary, and public service and media reform issues, which the government of Lesotho committed to undertake to resolve their political and security challenges.

The report was endorsed by SADC and Lesotho was then urged to develop a roadmap on the required reforms, which it has completed.

The Luanda Double Troika Summit endorsed the Lesotho Roadmap for reforms and urged the government of Lesotho to prioritise the constitutional and security sector reforms, which should be delivered by May 2019.