To answer the question: Firstly, the election results are deemed inconclusive since both Mr Gbagbo and Mr Ouattara claim to have won the presidential elections on 28 November 2010. This indicates that, de facto, the outcome of the election is still inconclusive.
Secondly, given the fact that the outcome of the election has led to an impasse, South Africa made a proposal to the African Union summit held from 28 to 31 January 2011 in Addis Ababa that may lead to a political solution to the impasse. Thus, until the African Union, AU, has finally resolved the impasse, South Africa will not take sides on the matter.
Thirdly, President Zuma met with both Mr Gbagbo and Mr Ouattara in Abidjan on 20 February 2011 as part of the high-level panel established by the African Union on 28 January 2011. While the high-level panel has made progress, it has not concluded its work and consequently it met on 4 March 2011 to conclude its report on the work to date.
Fourthly, South Africa's contribution to the promotion of democracy and human rights in Africa and its principled stance in this regard is well recognised. President Zuma's involvement in the AU high-level panel established by the African Union attests to this. The panel's ultimate responsibility is to ensure a durable solution that will sustain a framework for the entrenchment of peace and respect for human rights. Thank you.
Hon Chair, through you to the hon Deputy Minister: Is it only on the basis that both parties claim victory that the South African government has therefore not pronounced? Most of the international communities pronounced soon after the election results were announced; why then are we not trusting the electoral authority in that country and the results they had made known? Are we now simply saying - well, there is a contest, Chair? One says, "I've won" and the other one says "I've won", therefore no one has won. So, are we discounting entirely the view of the international community and of the electoral authority in that country?
Well, I don't know what you mean by the international community - there's international community and international community. As far as South Africa is concerned, we want to see what the facts on the ground are. We are part of a panel established by the AU which our President is part of; and he has been to the Ivory Coast and met with both Ouattara and Gbagbo. We do not want to say, "Because the international community has said so, it is right". As far as we and the African Union are concerned, we want to study the facts on the ground; exactly what to place where and why there are two different conclusions and two different presidents there.
I think what is really important is for us to study exactly what happened and what the facts on the ground are before we make a decision on the matter. But I must say that our President, together with the others who were part of the panel, is trying very hard to see to it that we can find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. I thank you.
Chair, I would like the Deputy Minister to tell us what our stand as a country is when there are a number of nations in Africa who go into elections and when the results come out the one who has been in power simply refuses to abdicate. I say this because I have in mind countries like Zimbabwe, in which it seems that efforts at reconciliation or a national unity government have reached a stalemate. We have also seen in Kenya when the President who was in power lost the elections ...
Mr Mokgoro, what is your follow-up question?
I want to know what our stand as a country is. Are we simply going to continue - despite all these things that are happening - when such things happen and say let us come together and negotiate and have a government of national unity? Thank you.
Well, obviously, we want to see free and fair elections held on the African continent and wherever elections take place. I think it's an unfortunate or bad practice when elections are held and immediately there is a dispute and the opposition says the election is not free and fair. How do we remedy that, now? I don't know, but I think there should be proper monitoring of elections and proper oversight of election processes to see to it that the elections are free and fair.
As far as South Africa's position is concerned, we would like to see, wherever they take place, particularly on our continent where there has been a dispute about elections, free and fair elections taking place. Thank you.
Government informing person he should resign and reconciliation of government's commitment to human rights and democracy with failure to publicly call for resignation of said person 10. Mr H B Groenewald (DA) asked the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation:
(1) Whether the government has informed a certain person (name furnished) prior to his departure on 11 February 2011 that he should resign; if not, why not; if so, when;
(2) whether she will reconcile the government's commitment to human rights and democracy with its failure to publicly call for the resignation of the said person prior to 11 February 2011; if so, how? CO111E
Chairperson: Firstly, the answer is no, South Africa does not interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign states.
Secondly, South Africa issued a statement on 31 January 2011, which reads:
The government of South Africa calls on the government and the people of Egypt to seek a speedy and peaceful resolution to the current crisis. The resolution of this crisis will without doubt pave the way for a new era in Egypt.
The statement attests to South Africa's commitment to human rights and democracy and is in line with the international principle of noninterference in the internal affairs of sovereign states. I thank you. Warships sent into seas of Cte d' Ivoire and use of vessels in election dispute in Cte d' Ivoire
1. Mr R A Lees (DA) asked the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans:
(1) Whether the SA Navy has sent any warships into the seas near to or in the vicinity of Cte d'Ivoire; if so, (a) what are the details of the warships that are involved and (b) what is the purpose of sending these warships;
(2) whether these vessels will be used to intervene in the election dispute that is existing in Cte d'Ivoire; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?