Security has been beefed up ahead of the official opening
of the 37th Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Double Troika Summit
on Saturday.
The scaling up of security also comes amid a planned
protest by the SADC Democratic Forum which comprises of members of the South
African, Swaziland and Lesotho Communist Parties as well as the Swaziland
Solidarity Network.
Department of International Relations and Cooperation on Friday
said up to 15 heads of state were expected to gather at Dirco's headquarters in
Pretoria.
This includes leaders from Tanzania, Angola, Mozambique,
Botswana and Swaziland.
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, whose wife, Grace has
been mired in controversy this week after she allegedly assaulted 20-year-old
model Gabriella Engels with an extension cord at a Sandton hotel, is also set
to attend the Summit.
This week South Africa took over from Swaziland as the next
chair of SADC - a role it will assume for the next year.
Ministers and other stakeholders also used several meetings
to deliberate on political issues affecting countries within the region as well
as to map out plans by leaders for regional integration.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that a planned picket by the SADC
Democracy Forum outside Dirco on Saturday morning is allegedly illegal.
An official from Dirco said the group had not been granted
permission to protest. Citing reasons for the picket, the forum in a statement
said it was concerned the region was becoming the opposite of what it was
intended to be.
"We are often persuaded that SADC is a progressive and
democratic organisation but the behaviour of the governments of a number of its
member states tells us otherwise."
It said pointed out the myriad challenges the countries
other countries were facing.
It said the Democratic Republic of Congo was in a constant
war in an environment in which its President is unwilling to call an election
while in Zimbabwe had no formal Consitution implemented despite its citizen
voting for it two years ago.
It also said in Swaziland, the feudal monarchy had banned
all political parties adding there is no vestige of democracy.
"As citizens of countries within SADC, we demand that
SADC enforces the implementation of democracy and human rights practices among
its members according to the provisions of the statements in its own Treaty and
other documents which it has issued," it said. IOL
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