ISRAELI head of state Ezer Weizman has been invited to pay a state visit to South Africa by President Thabo Mbeki, at a date still to be determined. Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad on Wednesday said that although it will be Weizman’s first state visit, it won’t be the first time he has visited South Africa. “Such a visit would afford President Mbeki the opportunity to be informed about the latest developments in the Middle East peace process, and for the two heads of state to exchange views on this and other matters of mutual interest,” Pahad said in a statement. Former President Nelson Mandela vistited Israel last month. Government officials say the general consensus is that if Mandela is to play a role in the peace process in the Middle East, it is necessary to show “an attitude of even-handedness.”