South Africa denounces attempted coup in Democratic Republic of Congo

South Africa has strongly condemned the attempted coup d’état in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Sunday.

The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation recently released a statement expressing concern that the attempted coup represents a threat to the principles of constitutionalism and good governance that are essential for peace, stability and security on the African continent.

South Africa further applauded the African Union (AU) Commission chairperson’s statement denouncing the coup and the use of force to alter any African state’s constitutional order. It also applauded the Communique of the Extra-Ordinary Virtual Summit of the SADC Heads of State and Government on 20 March about the drought caused by El Nino, which denounced the attempt to undermine the DRC’s democratic institutions by means of illegitimate methods.

“The attempted takeover is a violation of the AU common position, which rejects unconstitutional changes of government, as enshrined in the Lome Declaration of 2000 and also undermines the Constitutive Act of the AU,” the statement noted.

South Africa urged for calm and called on the DRC government to investigate the incident thoroughly.