Issued by: Government Communication and Information System
On Friday 30 April security forces from South Africa and Botswana, under the auspices of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), will begin their withdrawal from the Kingdom of Lesotho.
A SADC Training Team will remain, however, in Lesotho in order to assist with the reconstruction and training of the Lesotho Defence Force.
SADC has agreed that South Africa and Botswana will each create a standby force for rapid intervention until the next elections in Lesotho.
South African Defence Minister, Joe Modisa, said: "South African is proud to have played its part, as a member of SADC, in successfully restoring peace and stability to Lesotho. The prosperity of Southern Africa is one of our utmost priorities and having struggled for so long to establish democracy at home we could not ignore our closest neighbour's call when its democracy was under threat.
'The South African security forces ably acquitted themselves in their new role as the custodians of democracy and stability.
"We are confident that the interim authority will be able to peacefully guide the people of Lesotho on the path to an election process supported by all the people."
The withdrawal is expected to be completed by Saturday 15 May.
South Africa contributed 600 troops as part of a combined SADC peacekeeping force, including 200 troops from Botswana, which entered Lesotho on 22 September 1998 in order to restore peace and stability after weeks of street riots and a mutiny in the Lesotho Defence Force following Lesotho's general elections on 23 May 1998. The size of the combined force has changed from time to time in response to the situation, and now stands at just over 1 000.
The decision to intervene was taken after a written request from the Lesotho prime minister, Mr BP Mosisili, to the heads of State of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique and after extensive consultations with the SADC, King Letsie III of Lesotho and Prime Minister Mosisili.
South African Constitutional Court judge, Pius Langa, headed a SADC sanctioned, international commission into alleged election fraud which in its report published on 17 September 1998 said that, despite some concerns it could not declare the elections invalid.
Notes to editors:
A media release will be issued in due course by the defence chiefs of Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa with details of the withdrawal.
For further details please contact: Colonel Puso Tladi on 083 628 0858