Zuma pressures Lesotho leaders

South African President Jacob Zuma. File picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

South African President Jacob Zuma. File picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

Published Sep 10, 2014

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Johannesburg -

South African President Jacob Zuma has given Lesotho’s coalition leaders two days to agree on a date to open Parliament, SABC News reported on Wednesday.

After meeting with coalition leaders on Tuesday, Zuma told the broadcaster that talks went well.

He said leaders had reached a point where they would now “have to do further consultations” on their own over the next few days.

“There would be further consultations among parties,” he said, after which an announcement would be made.

Zuma arrived in Lesotho on Tuesday to facilitate peace talks after Lesotho Prime Minister Tom Thabane was forced to flee to South Africa last month during an attempted coup by its military.

Thabane returned to Lesotho days later.

Zuma and representatives from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) brought together leaders from Lesotho's coalition parties to resolve the differences.

Thabane said they were committed to re-opening Parliament, but gave no date.

Zuma was also expected to meet the main opposition Democratic Congress which has 48 of 120 seats in Parliament, making it the largest single party in the National Assembly.

The relationship between the Democratic Congress and the Lesotho Congress for Democracy was threatening to unseat Thabane in Parliament. - Sapa

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