- Boko ruffled feathers by questioning SA’s safety
- Ramaphosa skipped Boko’s inauguration last year
- Botswana, SA reportedly keen to improve relations
BONGANI MALUNGA
South Africa has dismissed talk of a fresh diplomatic row with Botswana following President Duma Boko’s recent remarks in Doha questioning the safety and security for people and property in Botswana’s neighbor to the south.
In his pitch to prospective investors at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland last week, President Boko said Botswana is a safe country in comparison to other African countries, including South Africa.
In addition to South African media outlets, South African government official Lebogang Maile took exception to Boko’s remarks.
Unaware
However, South African presidential spokesman, Vincent Magwenya, said they were unaware of the remarks and announced that Ramaphosa and Boko had held fruitful talks. “We as the presidency did not hear President Boko deliver such remarks,” he told journalists.
“However, if there is a matter to be resolved between South Africa and Botswana, it is best left to established diplomatic channels and protocols to manage it. That is the role of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.”
Botswana and South Africa have experienced diplomatic tensions over the last few years owing to differences in policies and recent trade barriers.
Notable absentee
In what was understood as a snub in Gaborone, Ramaphosa was a notable absentee at Boko’s inauguration at the National Stadium in the Botswana capital last year, having elected to send his deputy, Paul Mashatile, on his behalf.
However, in a bid to improve relations between their countries, Boko and Ramaphosa held bilateral talks on the sidelines of WEF in Davos last week.
The countries are scheduled to hold further talks later this year against the background of Ramaphosa and Boko declaring themselves committed to prioritising cooperation through the Botswana-South Africa Bi-National Commission that is set to meet in the course of the year.