In his weekly letter, the South African president, who has just returned from a visit to South Sudan, revealed that during his stay in Juba he met with President Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Deputy President Riek Machar and other political leaders, as well as with representatives of the African Union.

As South Africa, he wrote, we understand well the challenges of national reconstruction and the difficulties of forging national unity in a multi-ethnic society.

In his missive, Ramaphosa recalled how South Africa has provided development, mediation and other forms of assistance to South Sudan since 2005.

South Africans, he added, ‘have been consistent in our support for the current Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity and the people of South Sudan as they go through the transition period’.

Currently, the President said, South Africa continues to support them bilaterally and as Chair of the African Union’s Ad Hoc High-Level Committee on South Sudan, also known as the C5, which also comprises Algeria, Chad, Nigeria and Rwanda.

He also wrote, South Africa assists South Sudan with capacity building for state institutions and programs for post-conflict reconstruction.

In that regard, he added, Pretoria has used the International Cooperation and African Renaissance Fund to provide humanitarian assistance to people in South Sudan negatively affected by the conflict.

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