SA calls for peace in Egypt

"The South Africa government reiterates its call on all relevant parties to engage in inclusive political dialogue in order to return Egypt to a constitutional order through the holding of free, fair and all-inclusive elections," Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ebrahim Ebrahim, said on Friday, 6 September 2013.

SA's call comes as Egyptian Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim on Thursday survived a bomb attack on his convoy, but 19 other people were injured.

The blast occurred near the minister's convoy in Nasr City in eastern Cairo in the morning as he was on his way from home to the Interior Ministry headquarters.

No organisations so far have claimed responsibility for the attack, the first of its kind in Egypt's current transitional period.

The security situation in Egypt has been deteriorating after the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi, as attacks on security check points, churches and governmental institutions occur frequently. However, an assassination targeting senior officials in the capital is a first of its kind.

Egypt is facing two forces, the Brotherhood, which rejects negotiations unless Morsi is reinstated, and the army, which insists on isolating those who participate in violent acts from the political process.

Ebrahim reiterated that "violence against legitimate protests does not further the cause of democracy or contribute towards healing the differences between people in a polarised society such as Egypt".

The deputy minister also reiterated the international community's call for the unconditional release of Morsi and all other political prisoners held in detention.

Morsi is to stand trial on charges of committing and inciting violence. The move comes after that country's public prosecutor referred Morsi and 14 other Muslim Brotherhood members to a Cairo criminal court.

He is accused of having a hand in the deaths of protesters, who were killed in street clashes with his supporters in July.

Ebrahim called on authorities in Egypt to ensure respect for the rule of law and international human rights standards -- a view that has also been shared by the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

South Africa's view on the escalating political situation in Egypt, Ebrahim said, was "based on the Constitutive Act of the African Union, where any unconstitutional change of government - whatever the premise - is specifically rejected".

The AU High Level Panel is currently in Egypt trying to broker a political solution and is expected to report back to the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) in due course.