President Cyril Ramaphosa speaking to the media during the annual Presidential Golf Challenge held at the Atlantic Beach Golf Estate, Melkbosstrand. Picture: GCIS
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday he was hoping that the joint SADC-East Africa Community heads of state and government summit on the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will find a permanent solution.
Ramaphosa will be on a working visit to Tanzania after the heads of state and government of SADC and the East African Community agreed to meet urgently to deliberate on the way forward regarding the security situation in the DRC.
“I am hoping that we will not only deal with what has happened in the recent past, but also deal with issues around ceasefire and finding a permanent solution to the problems that have dogged DRC for the longest time,” he said.
Ramaphosa made the statement when he was speaking to the media at the Presidential Golf Challenge in Cape Town.
“We want peace to prevail in that part of the continent so that the people of DRC can live in peace and all of us can be in our own countries advancing the development of our own people,” he said.
Ramaphosa also said they wanted the remains of 14 fallen SANDF soldiers to come back home.
“We are working with the UN and of course the SANDF to bring our fallen soldiers back. We work fervently.”
The Department of Defence has said all administrative processes were completed and handed over to the United Nations for the repatriation of the remains of the fallen soldiers.
“The United Nations planned movement for the repatriation of the deceased out of the combat zone has been delayed,” the defence said in a statement.
Ramaphosa has since directed that the national flag be flown at half-mast for a period of seven days from Friday in honour of the soldiers.
“President Ramaphosa has issued this directive as the country mourns the tragic and devastating loss of 14 South African soldiers who were part of a mission to bring peace to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo,” his spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.
Speaking during the State of the Nation Address on Thursday, Ramaphosa said the soldiers lost their lives in defence of the fundamental right of the Congolese people to live in peace and security.
“They lost their lives not in the pursuit of resources or territory or power. They lost their lives so that the guns on our continent may be forever silenced.”
On Friday, Ramaphosa would not be drawn into commenting on statements by Rwanda President Paul Kagame, who accused him of lying and distorting facts about the conflict in the eastern DRC as well as outbursts by US President Donald Trump.
He said he would not get into the mud with other heads of state.
"With regard to what is happening in the DRC, as a head of state, I am not in the habit of getting into the mud and arguing with other people, other heads of state.
“Matters of importance are discussed properly behind closed doors. So I’m not going to get into the mud.”
He said the US was a very important player on the global stage.
“They are the biggest economy and they are our very important trading partner. We intend to deal with them in a formal way and proper engagement,” the president said.
Ramaphosa reiterated his statement in SONA that he will send a delegation of government and other leaders to various parts of the world – Africa, Europe, America, Asia, and the Middle East - to go and explain South Africa’s position, more particularly its G20 objectives.
“We want this G20 to be African G20 but to be G20 that is going to focus on issues that impact on the global South and humanity more broadly.”
mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za