• President Edgar Lungu (centre) with South African President Jacob Zuma (right) and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa at Parliament building in Cape Town, South Africa yesterday. Picture by SALIM HENRY.

From XAVIER MANCHISHI –

CAPE TOWN
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has said Zambia is committed to enhancing bilateral relations with South Africa.
Mr Lungu was happy with the growing bilateral cooperation with South Africa and other countries in the region.
The Head of State was speaking here after holding closed door talks with his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma.
“We discussed a lot of issues pertaining to bilateral, regional and international relations,” Mr Lungu said.
Zambia’s support of the liberation struggle in South Africa led to the establishment of deep mutual bonds between the peoples of the two countries.
The two leaders assigned their respective foreign affairs ministers to ensure bilateral relations between the two countries are cemented.
Mr Zuma who is SADC chairperson on politics, defence, security and cooperation has since invited President Lungu for a State visit in the second half of this year.
The South African leader described the meeting with Mr Lungu as a very productive and interactive exchange.
“As you know the President was recently elected and it was important for him to touch base here. This was an official visit, courtesy call and a consultative interaction,” he said.
The two Heads of State acknowledge that trade between South African and Zambia has substantially increased since 1994.
They also discussed the prevailing political, economic and security situation in the region particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and Lesotho.
After the closed door meeting, Mr Lungu had a live interview with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
Earlier, President Lungu met South African deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa.
President Lungu arrived at Cape Town International Airport at 13:00 hours and was met by South African minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkona-Mashabani.
Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Mayeba Chikonde was also on hand to receive the Head of State.
Mr Lungu was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba, State House Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda and his counterpart in charge of politics Kaizer Zulu.
The Head of State returned home after the official visit.