Africa News
Lesotho's public service minister says he's acting PM after 'coup'─── 12:22 Mon, 01 Sep 2014
Maseru - Lesotho's minister of public service, Motloheloa Phooko, told AFP on Monday that he was the country's acting prime minister, after the elected premier fled the country amid an apparent coup.
"I am acting prime minister," the minister said from Maseru, citing "cabinet protocol" for his appointment while the prime minister and deputy prime minister are in South Africa.
Meanwhile foreign ministers of three Southern Africa Development Community member states met last night to discuss the recent events in Lesotho. International relations and co-operation department spokesperson, Clayson Monyela said foreign ministers of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia met in Pretoria.
Meanwhile foreign ministers of three Southern Africa Development Community member states met last night to discuss the recent events in Lesotho. International relations and co-operation department spokesperson, Clayson Monyela said foreign ministers of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia met in Pretoria.
He said South Africa called the meeting in its capacity as the chairing nation of SADC's organ on politics and defence. Monyela could not confirm an apparent meeting between President Jacob Zuma, Lesotho's prime minister Thomas Thabane and members of the kingdom's coalition government.
On Saturday, Thabane told the BBC he'd fled for his life across the border to South Africa, accusing the military of seizing power in a coup.
Meanwhile, the South African National Defence Force has denied claims it was involved in foiling the alleged coup.
Spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini was responding to an article in the Sunday Times which claimed SANDF troops carried out a pre-dawn raid in Maseru to assist Thabane to flee to South Africa.
Sapa
