/ 4 April 2013

Dirco: SA wasn’t forced to pull out of CAR

Dirco: Sa Wasn't Forced To Pull Out Of Car

"We didn't agree to pull out our troops, we decided to do so," International Relations and Cooperations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane told reporters in Pretoria.

"The Economic Community of Central African States (Eccas) pleaded with us to stay but we explained as a constitutional democracy we would not do that and they appreciated that," she said.

She was speaking after returning from an extraordinary summit called by Eccas in the wake of a coup in the Central African Republic (CAR) that saw the death of 13 South African soldiers.

Seleka rebels overthrew the government of the now deposed president François Bozizé.

Rebel leader Michel Djotodia has declared himself president and announced a caretaker government, saying he will run the country until elections in 2016.

Eccas has rejected this move and also refused to recognise Djotodia or his government. Accordingly they have instructed all foreign ministers in the region to travel to CAR and demand that constitutional normalcy be reinstated within 18 months.

SA will never support any unconstitutional government
"It remains unclear as to what this entails but a second extraordinary summit will be held in the coming months to deal with the crisis.

"We are not bolting away, but South Africa or our troops will never support any unconstitutional government," Nkoana-Mashabane added.

"South Africa will never shy away from defending democracy at home or on our continent." Nkoana-Mashabane reiterated that South African National Defence Force (SANDF) personnel were deployed as part of a bilateral mandate signed with the CAR to train their military.

"South Africa's military was there on a peace keeping and peace building mission. The first step to peace building is equipping capable armies on the African continent ," she said.

She also rubbished a Mail & Guardian report that the SANDF were deployed to protect business interests related to the ANC as well as prop up Bozizé's regime.

"In CAR as with all other countries there are foreign businesses that have arrived there and local authorities would be best placed to answer why they are there. All I can say is that we don't condone South African businesses operating illicitly."