South Africa’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has been urgently sent to Lesotho to consult with Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili following fears of more political instability in the country.
The decision was taken by President Jacob Zuma, who is the chairperson of the SADC organ on politics, defence and security co-operation, the Southern Development Community (SADC) said in a statement on Tuesday.
Zuma had already sent a ministerial fact-finding mission headed by South African defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and her Zimbabwean and Namibian counterparts to assess the situation in Lesotho.
Lesotho’s opposition parties told the fact-finding mission that Lesotho’s controversial army commander Tlali Kamoli must go if peace and stability are to return to the country.
The delegation met deputy leaders of the three opposition parties because the leaders have all fled to South Africa, fearing for their lives and it comes in the wake of the killing of former army commander Maaparankoe Mahao by soldiers of the Lesotho Defence Force last Thursday.
It is expected that the SADC delegation will hold a press conference on Tuesday to discuss its trip and its findings.
