Picture File: A Mozambican woman walks in Palma, a small, palm-fringed fishing town meant to become a symbol of Mozambique's glittering future, transformed by one of the world's largest liquefied natural gas projects that is under threat. Picture: John Wessels/AFP
The DA has called for a troop surge of all Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries to counter insurgent attacks in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province.
An insurgent attack took place in Cabo Delgado near the Tanzanian border on Wednesday.
At least one South African citizen is reported to have died of the people fleeing Palma to get to safety at the weekend.
The DA said in a statement the scourge of attacks in Mozambique had the potential to destabilise the whole SADC region.
On Sunday Department of International Relations and Cooperation spokesperson Clayson Monyela, said that the SA government was sending additional staff to its mission in Maputo to help locate, identify and respond to the crisis in the area.
The DA has since welcomed the move but reckons more needs to be done.
“South Africa cannot afford another neighbouring country in ruins,” reads the statement.
“Apart from the economic and potential energy supply interests the Chomehomabo Delgado province holds for South Africa and the rest of the region, a safe and stable political environment is needed to ensure economic development and job creation reach its potential. SADC needs to intervene now to save Mozambique and ensure stability for the whole region.”
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The party said it would also be writing to International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor for an explanation why an extraordinary summit involving heads of state and government of all SADC member states due to be held in March 2021 in Maputo did not take place.
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