JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (ADV) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged to fight poverty alongside India while delivering the 1st IBSA Gandhi-Mandela Memorial Freedom Lecture in the presence of Prime Minister of India, HE Narendra Modi the Prime Minister of India.
India is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi.
Ramaphosa is invited as the paramount guest at India’s 70th Republic Day celebrations set for tomorrow. The days celebrates the date on which the Constitution of India came into effect.
This is the second time a South African president will be the chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations – the first honour went to Nelson Mandela, who was the chief guest in 1995.
“Through our cooperation on a range of platforms such as BRICS, IBSA, the India Ocean Rim Association, the G20, the G77 plus China and the Non-Aligned Movement, we will continue to work together in pursuit of a world free of poverty,” said Ramaphosa speaking in India.
“Today’s lecture pays tribute to the life and times of two of the greatest leaders and statesmen of their generations, and perhaps of all time. Their legacies go far beyond their stature as the founding fathers of our two great independent nations, India and South Africa.”
Ramaphosa also expressed gratitude to be invited to India.
“It’s a joy & pleasure to be in India – a historic visit for us as South Africans, because we’re here not only to consolidate the relationship between our two countries, but to also remember the outstanding leaders that have blazed a trail of human rights freedom & democracy.”
India is hoping South Africa will sign deals on defence, higher education and minerals.
Several Cabinet ministers and a high-powered delegation of businesspeople accompanied the president – include International Relations and Cooperation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Higher Education Minister Naledi Pandor, Energy Minister Jeff Radebe, Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana.
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