Speech delivered by Minister of State Security, Mr David Mahlobo, MP, on the occasion of the 48th National Day celebrations of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Pretoria
Your Excellency, Mrs E.M Letooane, High Commissioner of the Kingdom of Lesotho to South Africa;
Your Excellency, Ambassador Bene M’poko, Ambassador of the DRC and the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps;
Your Excellencies, Ambassadors and High Commissioners; Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Comrades and friends,
On behalf of the Government and the people of South Africa, please allow me to extend our greetings to you all on this auspicious occasion as we celebrate the 48th Anniversary of the Kingdom of Lesotho.
I wish, from the onset, to express my sincere gratitude to you, High Commissioner for inviting us to this celebration.
High Commissioner,
We hold this celebration here today on the backdrop of some very challenging times faced by the Kingdom of Lesotho. The current political and security developments in have been the subject of discussion within SADC and various other structures within the AU.
It is for this reason that we welcome the agreement that has been reached- through the work of His Excellency, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, SADC Facilitator on the Kingdom of Lesotho Crisis- as announced on Thursday last week. We believe that this path that has been agreed upon will result in the restoration of stability in Lesotho so that the country can focus on the urgent needs of the ordinary people which are employment, education, growing the economy and general development.
High Commissioner,
Your warm welcome reminds us of our history and the bonds of friendship between the peoples of South Africa and Lesotho. Our two countries are bound together by a rich history which inextricably links our destinies. South Africa and Lesotho are not only neighbors but we are also members of the same family. We speak the same language. We share the same culture and tradition.
We have traversed a long road to our respective freedoms and liberation. We cannot but remember the support that the people of Lesotho gave us in the fight against apartheid albeit at a heavy price.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We all remember, quite vividly, the horrific Maseru massacres of 1982 and 1985 in which Basotho nationals and South African freedom fighters and their families were butchered in cold blood by the apartheid forces.
ANC President at the time, President OR Tambo, pledged the commitment of the African National Congress to support the Kingdom of Lesotho in her struggle to consolidate her independence and defend her sovereignty and territorial integrity.
True to the commitment that President OR Tambo spoke about twenty eight years ago, the democratic South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho signed in 2001 and renewed in 2006 and 2013, the Joint Bilateral Commission for Cooperation.
The main objective of the Commission is not only to promote political, economic and social cooperation but also and most importantly to assist Lesotho towards its development.
Ladies and gentlemen,
South Africa is committed to walking side by side with Lesotho in the implementation of various projects, which have the potential to provide Lesotho with a solid foundation for growth and development.
We are already working on various projects, including the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, the Geo-chemical Mapping Project, the Hydrological Project and the Sani Pass Project.
We trust that these projects will bring about economic development, create employment as well as investment opportunities in Lesotho.
It will be recalled that President Zuma travelled to Lesotho in March this year to launch Phase Two of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. The Project represents a win-win mechanism as it provides the needed water to South Africa and on the Lesotho side creates opportunities for the required infrastructure development, energy generation and guaranteed royalties from the water transfers.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Your Excellency, High Commissioner,
On this day of your 48th anniversary celebrations, my government commits itself to the strengthening and consolidation of relations with your country, using our structured bilateral mechanism – the Joint Bilateral Commission for Cooperation.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Please rise and join me in a toast to the good health and prosperity of His Majesty, King Letsie III and to the everlasting and enduring friendship between the wonderful people of the Kingdom of Lesotho and the people of the Republic of South Africa.
To friendship! "Khotso, Pula, Nala” (Peace, Rain, Prosperity).
I thank you.
