The National Dialogue Steering Committee says the South African Government will re-schedule a meeting with Dr. Riek Machar after a team that was sent to Johannesburg failed to meet him.

The co-chair of the Committee, Angelo Beda had earlier said separate teams were formed to meet opposition leaders who are outside the country.

Mr. Beda said the teams will travel to different countries to meet politicians, including Dr. Riek Machar, Dr. Lam Akol and members of the Former Detainees.

The National Dialogue Director for Communication and Information Unit, Alfred Taban, says a delegation went to South Africa last week and came back yesterday without meeting Dr. Machar.

He said the meeting was supposed to be facilitated by the South African government.

Mr. Taban told Eye Radio that South African’s Vice President, Cyril Ramaphosa, promised to re-schedule another meeting.

“It is true, they never met. The person they met was the Vice President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa. They discussed with Cyril Ramaphosa how to meet Riek Machar. But the South Africans have agreed to talk to him so that he can meet the delegation from the steering committee,” he said.

He said Dr. Machar had early explained his reservation in a written letter to the committee.

“Riek Machar had written a letter in response to one which was sent to him by the delegation and he mentioned that the peace that he signed with the government is more important. So he wanted how that peace agreement can be implemented or renegotiated before the national dialogue,” Taban said.

The government has repeatedly said that Dr. Riek would not join the dialogue unless he renounces violence.

But the steering committee of the National Dialogue said a team will travel to South Africa to engage Dr. Riek in the agenda setting of the national dialogue.