COSATU condemns Lesotho coup

The Congress of South African Trade Unions strongly condemns the apparent coup by Lesotho military chiefs on Saturday, 30 August 2014.

Prime Minister, Thomas Thabane, who has led a three-party coalition government for the past two years, fled to South Africa, after claiming to have received intelligence reports that he was being targeted for assassination by the military.

The army then surrounded his residence and overran police stations in the capital, Maseru. One policeman was shot dead and four others wounded. Police stations are reported to be deserted and some officers have fled over the border.

The coup is reported to arise from a power struggle between Thabane, supported by the police, and his Deputy, and coalition partner, Mothetjoa Metsing, who has the backing of the army.

Thabane suspended parliament in June 2014. He has told the media that the coup was to stop his fight to root out corruption in government and to charge a prominent member of the government.

COSATU deplores any such unconstitutional overthrow of an elected government by force, for which there can be absolutely no justification. The only people who can change the government are the citizens of Lesotho in a national election.

The federation welcomes the swift move by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) defence and security troika, which includes officials from South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, to meet Thabane to try to find a peaceful settlement to the crisis.

The federation also welcomes the news that President Zuma was due to meet the Lesotho prime minister today and hopes that these interventions will bring about a speedy return to democracy.

Statement issued by COSATU national spokesperson, Patrick Craven, September 2 2014

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