Statement of the South African Observer Mission Leader, Defence Minister Mluleki George on preparations for the DRC’s 30 July Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.

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), Rev Apollonaire Malumalu, on Sunday, 23 July 2006, Deputy Minister Mluleki George assured the DRC IEC Head that South Africa, working with SADC and the African Union (AU), will stay the course in the DRC.

The IEC Chairperson, Rev. 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 Southern African Development Community (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 African Union 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 twenty four (24) designated result centres out of a total of sixty four (64) in all the eleven (11) provinces.

Enquiries: Vincent Hlongwane on +27 82 385 1169
Sam Mkhwanazi on +27 83 628 0858
Lindo Nkomonde on +27 82 875 9631

Issued by the South African Observer Mission

c/o South African Embassy in the DRC
77 Ngongo Lutete Avenue
Gombe, Kinshasa
Democratic Republic of Congo
24 July