Yet another trip to Lesotho for Ramaphosa

Johannesburg - Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will return to Lesotho this week in his capacity as SADC facilitator, the presidency said on Sunday.

This was Ramaphosa's ninth visit to Maseru since he was appointed as a facilitator in September following unrest there.

The decision to appoint Ramaphosa was taken by the double troika summit of heads of state and government held in Pretoria.

"Deputy president Ramaphosa's visit comes against the background of efforts to create a climate conducive for the holding of the brought forward elections scheduled for February 2015 and on a date still to be set by His Majesty King Letsie III," spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said in a statement.

Since the appointment of the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) observer mission Lesotho had reconvened its parliament in October.

An agreement has been struck for the dissolution of its parliament in December and to bring forward elections scheduled for February next year to a date to be set by the king, Mamoepa said.

Ramaphosa would arrive in Lesotho on Monday and return to South Africa on Tuesday.