Government recognition of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following the disputed Election Results in November 2011

QUOTE

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 

FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO: 178 (NW195E)

PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 2-2012 OF 17 FEBRUARY 2012

Mr KS Mubu (DA) to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation:

1. Whether the Government recognises the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following the disputed election results in November 2011; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NW195E

REPLY:

1. Yes, the Government does recognise the Government of the DRC. President Kabila was democratically elected President of the DRC following the November 2011 Presidential elections. The DRC election took place, consistent with the relevant provisions of SADC principles governing democratic elections. President Jacob G. Zuma, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, mandated the SADC Executive Secretary, Dr. Tomaz Salomao, to constitute a SADC Electoral Observer Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo for the Presidential and Legislative Elections on 28 November 2011. Minister NN Mapisa-Nqakula, Minister of Correctional Services of the Republic of South Africa, was the Head of the SADC Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

2. A SADC observer mission, comprising of 200 observers, the largest ever SADC observer mission, found the election to have been a success. The African Union described Democratic Republic of Congo's elections well managed and urged all parties to accept them. The elections were conducted in line with the AU regulations on elections. Furthermore, following compliance with the country’s constitution and its electoral law, President Kabila was sworn in on 20 December 2011 after the DRC’s Supreme Court of Justice ruled that he had legitimately won the elections.

3. It is worth mentioning that these elections were monitored by various Election Observer Missions. By and large, these elections were declared as peaceful, credible and transparent notwithstanding the logistical challenges presented by the sheer geographical size of the DRC.

4. Our Government will, as it has done over the past years, continue to partner with the people of the Congo as they deal with the difficult task of reconstruction and development.

UNQUOTE