Johannesburg - The South African Communist Party has thrown its weight behind the government's decision to provide humanitarian financial aid to the people of Cuba, indicating that it stands in solidarity with the country.
In a statement released today, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Pandor stated: “The Ministry as well as the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, have noted the interim order granted in the Pretoria High Court, pausing implementation of the humanitarian aid that South Africa had agreed it would provide to the Republic of Cuba."
This comes after civil rights organisation AfriForum dragged Pandor's ministry to court over the financial aid, asking that it be stopped.
Reacting to the judgment passed in court, Pandor said they were still studying the judgment as it is an interim order and thry were consulting their legal representatives to prepare their heads of arguments.
"There will be a return to court in 20 days’ time," she added.
The SACP in its statement indicated that it supported the government.
The party said while the application by AfriForum against South Africa’s decision to provide humanitarian aid to Cuba appears to be a legal issue, it was also a political matter.
"This can be traced back to the apartheid era and apartheid sub-imperialism in Southern Africa. Between mid-August 1987 and the end of March 1988, Cuba defeated apartheid armed forces in Angola, in the historic Battle of Cuito Cuanavale. This led to the independence of Namibia and the transition from apartheid to the current democratic dispensation in South Africa. Intransigent beneficiaries of the racist regime of apartheid remain anti-Cuba, because of that," the statement read.
Furthermore, SACP explained that besides the defeat of apartheid forces by Cuba in the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale, "the people of Cuba in exercising their national sovereignty chose their trajectory, that of building a socialist transition from capitalist barbarity and safeguarding Cuban independence from imperialism."
The Communist Party put it on record that it pledges its unwavering solidarity with the people and government of Cuba.
"We will strengthen our independent support for, and deepen our fraternal ties with, the Cuban people. Nothing whatsoever from the ranks of apartheid beneficiaries or imperialism will tamper with our solidarity with the Cuban people," SACP said.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
Political Bureau