Lamola represents SA in inauguration of Mozambique's president-elect Daniel Chapo

JOHANNESBURG - International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has arrived in Mozambique for the inauguration of president-elect Daniel Chapo.

The 47-year-old, a member of the Frelimo party, was elected in October last year.

However, his election was met with widespread violence, after the opposition party accused the polls of being rigged.

Although the country's highest court upheld Frelimo’s continued rule, opposition leader Venancio Mondlane has called for three more days of protests.

Mondlane returned to the country last week after being in exile following the assassinations of his political colleagues.

Mozambique’s president-elect, Daniel Chapo, is set to be inaugurated on Wednesday, but there are growing concerns that violence may erupt again.

Mondlane remains firm in his refusal to accept the election results, a stance that many fear could trigger further widespread violence in the country.

South Africa’s international relations minister Ronald Lamola, who is scheduled to attend Chapo’s inauguration, acknowledges the issues in Mozambique but emphasizes the courts have made a decision.

“We are hopeful that they will put the interests of their country above everything else and everyone and also their own subjective interests. We also had our own challenges here in the country but we had to put the interests of South Africa above everyone and everything to ensure there is stability in the country.”

South Africa was previously forced to temporarily close the Lebombo border after protesters set buses on fire on the Mozambican side.