Pretoria – International Relations and Co-operation Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, will this morning respond to reports that there is a South African aircraft waiting at Tripoli’s airport to bring Muammar Gaddafi to the country.
Nkoana-Mashabane will settle the matter when she briefs the media on the latest developments in Libya in Johannesburg.
Efforts by Libyan rebels to topple Gaddafi have gained momentum, as they surged into Tripoli yesterday in a final push to drive out the embattled leader.
Television images from Libya show jubilant crowds, with many people waving the red, black and green flag of anti-regime forces, dancing in joy and shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is greatest).
Media also reports that two of Gaddafi’s sons have been detained but his whereabouts remain unknown.
Libya’s rebel chief Mahmoud Jibril has called on Libyans to treat Gaddafi’s supporters with dignity and respect.
Jibril called on opposition supporters to act in a civil and calm manner when dealing with figures who may have sided with Gaddafi’s forces in the past six months.
Jibril said: “Today, there is no difference between Libyan cities, today there is no difference between Libyans. We will create history altogether, as we were all equal in suffering from dictatorship for 42 years, we need to be equal now in democracy.
“Today, all Libya’s people are allowed to participate in the building of the future to build institutions with the aid of a constitution that does not differentiate between a man and a woman, sects or ethnicities.
“Libya is for everyone, and will now be for everyone.”
He said Libya has the right to create an example that will be followed in the Arab region.
“Brothers and sisters, allow me to call on you today while you are in celebration. I call on your conscience, your responsibility to come to the fore and prevent you taking any vengeance in these happy moments or damaging property or mistreating foreigners or prisoners,” said Jibril. – BuaNews-Xinhua
