Govt mum on spat between Botswana and Bridgette Radebe
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation says it is unable to comment on the decision by Botswana to ban Bridgette Radebe from entering that country visa-free.
Radebe (59) is president of the South African Mining Development Association.
She is the wife of Energy Minister Jeff Radebe, the older sister of billionaire Patrice Motsepe, and the sister-in-law of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Local media reports alleged she and her mining mogul brother had funded the campaign of President Mokgweetsi Masisi's rival for the leadership of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), former foreign affairs minister Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi.
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Ramaphosa sent International Cooperation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu to Gaborone last week after the accusations surfaced in the media that his sister-in-law had meddled politically.
Radebe will now have to apply for a visa to visit the country, where she has mining interests.
Sandton businessman Malcolm X, who was with Radebe in the alleged meeting about Venson-Moitoi’s campaign, has been slapped with the same travel restrictions.
The department’s Ndivhuwo Mabaya says they are unable to comment on the matter.
"[It] is not a South African matter, it's a Botswana matter, we don't have to comment."