Ramaphosa visits Lesotho ahead of Sadc summit
CAPE TOWN — South Africa Deputy President and Southern African Development Community (Sadc) facilitator Cyril Ramaphosa has paid a working visit to the Kingdom of Lesotho.
He was there on Friday to assist the country to consolidate peace and security ahead of the upcoming Sadc Summit of Heads of State and Government.
The summit in Mbabane, Swaziland from 29 to 31 August is expected to review the political security situation in the region, said Presidency spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa in a statement.
Ramaphosa was among those mandated at the Sadc Double Troika Summit held in June in Gaborone, Botswana, to facilitate the return of opposition political party leaders to Lesotho from South Africa, Mamoepa said.
On Friday’s visit, Ramaphosa met King Letsie III as well as Prime Minister Phakalitha Mosisili and his coalition leaders, who briefed him on efforts to institute constitutional and security sector reforms.
Mamoepa said Ramaphosa also met with representatives of the opposition political parties, the Christian Council of Lesotho, the College of Chiefs and the family of the late Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) commander Maaparankoe Mahao.
“Deputy President Ramaphosa will table his report on consultations with various Lesotho stakeholders to the SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in Swaziland at the end of the month,” Mamoepa said. — News24