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Pretoria – Social media users have taken to Twitter to air their disapproval of the embattled Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila's visit to South Africa.
Kabila was leading a Congolese delegation on the 10th session of the South Africa-DRC Bi-National Commission, which dealt with bilateral and economic relations between the two countries.
He was welcomed by President Jacob Zuma at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria on Sunday.
Despite international concern about violence in parts of the DRC and pressure from some of the DRC’s closest allies for the country to hold its overdue elections, Zuma maintained that Kabila still had a friend in South Africa.
Zuma expressed satisfaction with progress made in the central African country over the years, saying: "The DRC of 2017 is no longer the DRC of 2004."
"The DRC is now politically stable and the security situation has improved. Where there are still challenges, the government of the DRC with the assistance of the region, continent and international community is addressing those."
Zuma encouraged Kabila and his government "to continue on this path".
Kabila’s second and final term in power expired in December last year, but the country has so far failed to organise elections.
The government said it first needed to do a census, which could take 18 months, but opposition parties saw that as a delaying tactic.
Mediation efforts and peace talks between the parties by the African Union and the Catholic Church have all failed.
Social media reaction
"One for you, one for me, one for Khulibuse. One for you, one for......." #zuma #kabila #rape #pillage #plunder
— SaffaZimbo (@SaffaZimbo) June 25, 2017
#Zuma meets #Kabila today. Interests of Congolese must prevail in discussions. Congolese want #elections. @africaarguments @kinshasaweb
— Claude kabemba, PhD (@ClaudeKKabemba) June 25, 2017
#Kabila here to talk to #Zuma about #NazeemHowa's email concerning @atultna ??#GuptaEmails #Oakbay pic.twitter.com/X4yeUNvka2
— Siya Mlozana™ (@Niro2_1) June 25, 2017
A good, solid member of the @_AfricanUnion dictator's club then. #Kabila #zuma
— SaffaZimbo (@SaffaZimbo) June 25, 2017
One immoral African thieving thug meets another. #zuma #kabila
— SaffaZimbo (@SaffaZimbo) June 25, 2017
#Africa must stop encouraging such autocrats n sycophants. Africa is destined for greatness starts with getting rid of trash such as #Kabila
— Debasish Dutta (@duttadebasish84) June 25, 2017
He is the one welcoming #Kabila to discuss how steal Congo??????
— Milly (@milibay1974) June 25, 2017
