ABC Secretary General Samonyane Ntsekele
’Marafaele Mohloboli
THE main opposition All Basotho Convention (ABC) has dismissed rumours it has joined forces with South African opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to destabilise the African National Congress-led (ANC) government.
According to a press statement released on Friday, the ABC said it would never jeopardise the stay of the tripartite opposition bloc leaders and other Basotho exiled in South Africa by attempting to fight the ANC.
The rumours alleged that the Julius Malema-led EFF was trying to leverage the ABC’s influence in some parts of the neighbouring country to make inroads in ANC strongholds.
ABC leader Thomas Thabane, Basotho National Party (BNP) leader Thesele ‘Maseribane and Reformed Congress of Lesotho (RCL) leader Keketso Rantšo fled Lesotho in May 2015 claiming some members of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) were out to kill them, which the military has since categorically denied.
Some members of the security sector and opposition activists also fled the country between 2014 and 2016 claiming their lives were in danger.
“As the executive committee of the ABC, we want to assure the Basotho nation, our followers and our partners in the opposition, BNP and RCL, that we would never breach our partnership agreement by attacking or fighting the ANC in any way,” read the statement signed by ABC Secretary-General Samonyane Ntsekele.
“We have nothing to do with these rumours and duly distance ourselves from them. We also want to apologise to the government of South Africa and the ANC for any inconvenience these rumours might have caused.”
The ABC said South Africa and the ANC had been very supportive of the opposition leaders and other exiles by providing them refuge and protection.
“Remember that opposition leaders, members of the LDF, Lesotho Correctional Service and police in exile have been supported by the ANC-led South African government. Therefore, we can’t overlook the fact that the ANC is playing a vital role of giving us protection,”the ABC said.
Meanwhile, the ABC cancelled its star rally which was supposed to take place last Saturday in Ficksburg, where Dr Thabane has been living since he fled the country.
Mr Ntsekele told the Lesotho Times’ sister publication, Sunday Express, the cancellation was meant to allow for “thorough preparations” for the rally which is expected to attract a huge crowd.
Attempts to reach the South African High Commission telephonically were fruitless yesterday, as some phones went unanswered while others were not available.
