the DRCâs 30 July Presidential and Parliamentary elections
24 July 2006
Kinshasa - The South African Observer Mission leader, Defence Deputy
Minister Mluleki George, has expressed satisfaction with progress on
preparations for the 30 July Presidential and Parliamentary elections in the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a meeting with the Chairperson of the DRC Independent Electoral
Commission (IEC) Reverend Apollonaire Malumalu on Sunday, 23 July 2006, Deputy
Minister Mluleki George assured the DRC IEC Head that South Africa, working
with Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU),
will stay the course in the DRC.
The IEC Chairperson Reverend Malumalu again confirmed to Deputy Minister
George their readiness to hold the Presidential and Parliamentary elections on
30 July 2006.
On Monday, 24 July 2006, Deputy Minister Mluleki George also met with the
leader of the SADC Observer Mission, Mr John Pandeni, the Namibian Minister of
Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development.
During the meeting they exchanged views on among others the support needed
from SADC, the AU and the international community to ensure a credible and
successful election in the DRC.
Minister Pandeni reiterated the SADC commitment to the DRC and undertook to
support the DRC during and after the elections.
Deputy Minister Mluleki George is also expected to meet with leaders of
political parties, South African representatives in the DRC, representatives of
international organisations and members of the South African Observer Mission
working in the DRC.
South Africa has sent a 108 member Observer Mission to the DRC to observe
the elections. They are stationed in the DRC until 4 August 2006 observing all
phases of the elections including election campaigns, the voting process and
the counting of votes. They are deployed in 24 designated result centres out of
a total of 64 in all the 11 provinces.
Enquiries:
Vincent Hlongwane
Cell: 082 385 1169
Sam Mkhwanazi
Cell: 083 628 0858
Lindo Nkomonde
Cell: 082 875 9631
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
24 July 2006
