South African Government position with regard to the constitutional amendments and re-interpretation of the presidential terms in Burundi
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUOTE
FOR ORAL REPLY
QUESTION NO: 485 (NO4471E)
PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO.15-2015 OF 28 OCTOBER 2015
MS S V KALYAN (DA) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION:
What is the Government’s position with regard to the constitutional amendments and re-interpretation of presidential terms, such as in the case of Burundi?
REPLY:
South Africa is a constitutional democracy and respects the constitutional processes in any other sovereign state, including Burundi. It should be noted that the legibility of the candidature of President Nkurunziza was determined by the Constitutional Court.
We have, however, noted with concern the civil and political instability that has arisen in Burundi in May 2015 following the decision by the National Council for the Defence of Democracy-Forces for the Defence of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), the ruling party, to nominate President Nkurunziza as its Presidential Candidate to stand for a further term in Office. We hope that the people of Burundi, assisted by the East African Community (EAC) will be able to resolve the current political and security challenges facing the country and thus avoid plunging the country into a civil war experienced in the early 2000s.
South Africa, as a former mediator in the Burundian peace process that led to the signing of the historic Arusha Accords, remains ready to assist the people of Burundi to achieve peace, stability and development.
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