Premier and his coalition government partner miss crucial meeting with SA deputy president this week after attending conference in Johannesburg
Keiso Mohloboli
SOUTH African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa left Maseru “very frustrated” this week after Prime Minister Thomas Thabane and his coalition government partner, Thesele ‘Maseribane, failed to turn-up for a planned meeting scheduled for Lesotho Sun Hotel on Tuesday afternoon, the Lesotho Times has learnt.
According to an authoritative source privy to the issue, Mr Ramaphosa — who was appointed two months ago by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to facilitate Lesotho’s return to political stability — was supposed to meet Dr Thabane and Chief ‘Maseribane to discuss issues the two leaders allegedly raised when they visited Zimbabwean president and current SADC Chairman, Robert Mugabe, in Harare last week.
Dr Thabane and Chief ‘Maseribane, whose All Basotho Convention (ABC) and Basotho National Party (BNP) respectively, formed a coalition government with the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) led by Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing after the 26 May 2012 election had produced a hung parliament, allegedly pleaded with the Zimbabwe leader to give SADC’s mediation in Lesotho “a regional face” and not allow South Africa to play a leading role in the facilitation.
Although the SADC mission comprises observers from different countries such as Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia, South Africa provides the bulk of the staff and equipment due to its proximity to Lesotho, but Dr Thabane and Chief ‘Maseribane are said to be unhappy with the situation and the way Mr Ramaphosa’s facilitation has been going of late.
According to the source, the two partners had voiced their concerns to Mr Mugabe as they allegedly felt Mr Ramaphosa’s mediation appeared to be supporting Mr Metsing but were apparently told the South African was the ideal candidate for the job.
“When Mr Ramaphosa came to Lesotho on Tuesday, he wanted to find out what Thabane and ‘Maseribane were really not happy about concerning his mediation, and why they had not raised the issue in their previous meetings with him,” the source said.
“But the two men did not turn up as they were in Johannesburg attending some conference although they knew about Mr Ramaphosa’s visit, and how crucial it was for Lesotho’s return to normalcy.
“Mr Ramaphosa waited for them at Lesotho Sun to no avail, and eventually left around 6pm. He only met Thabane and ‘Maseribane at Moshoeshoe I International Airport when he was on his way back home to South Africa and these gentlemen were arriving from their conference in Johannesburg.
“There was only time for formal greetings and Mr Ramaphosa left, saying he would return to Lesotho at a later date to discuss their grievances and also how the Maseru Facilitation Declaration and Maseru Security Accord (MSA), signed on 2 October 2014 and 23 October 2014, were shaping up. “What was even more annoying for Mr Ramaphosa was that he ended up changing his programme of the people he had to meet on Tuesday, as he waited in vain for Thabane and ‘Maseribane to pitch-up.”
The source continued: “Mr Ramaphosa later only met Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli and Lieutenant General Maaparankoe Mahao to discuss the Maseru Security Accord, but could not see Police Commissioner Khothatso Tšooana because of a mix-up of the schedule.
“But it was agreed in the meeting that Lt Gen Kamoli would go to Uganda and Lt Gen Mahao Ethiopia for their leave of absence in line with the Maseru Security Accord, while the issue of Commissioner Tšooana was to be communicated through the phone.
“You know under the MSA, Lt Gen Kamoli, Lt Gen Mahao, and Commissioner Tšooana are supposed to go to an African or Commonwealth country on indefinite leave to allow the restoration of cordial relations between the army and police before Lesotho holds snap elections in February 2015.
“These elections are the result of the Maseru Facilitation Declaration, so Mr Ramaphosa really wanted to make sure he meets with Thabane and ‘Maseribane to discuss these agreements and make sure they are on track. This is why he was frustrated when he could not meet the two leaders.
“You will also realise that Mr Metsing was not part of Mr Ramaphosa’s agenda because he has not complained about his facilitation.”
Contacted for comment yesterday, Dr Thabane said it was not true that Mr Ramaphosa was furious when he could not meet him and Chief ‘Maseribane.
“I met with Mr Ramaphosa at Moshoeshoe I International Airport just before he departed for South Africa. I explained to him why we had delayed coming back from Johannesburg and he accepted my apologies. We were still on good terms when he left and he did not tell me that he was angry as you are suggesting,” Dr Thabane said.
Dr Thabane further said he and Mr Ramaphosa were leaders in their respective countries and always relate to each other with respect as demanded by protocol.
“How we relate with Mr Ramaphosa is none of anybody’s business but our own. We are colleagues and how we deal with our issues does not concern other parties,” Dr Thabane said.
“If a third party is involved, then we will have a problem because we will end up having these allegations that he was angry while he was not.”
Meanwhile, there was no immediate response from Mr Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Ronnie Mamoepa, whose mobile phone rang unanswered.
