R50m Cuba aid budgeted for and approved by parliament: Naledi Pandor

The idea that by donating to Cuba, the government is taking money from South Africans is a selfish attitude that does not accord with the country’s constitution which promotes friendship and support for countries in need.

This is according to international relations and co-operation minister Naledi Pandor as she yet again defended SA’s R50m humanitarian aid to Cuba.

“We budget for all this, approved by parliament each year,” she said on Thursday. “So the idea that we are taking this money away from the people of SA is a selfish attitude which doesn’t accord with the reality of a SA that has a constitution that says we will always promote friendship and support to others when they need it, just as we were supported by others even to the point of their sons and daughters dying on the African soil so that we may enjoy freedom.”

Pandor was answering questions in the National Council of Provinces. 

IFP MP Nhlanhla Hadebe had asked whether in light of SA’s financial position, Pandor’s department and the country had enough resources to offer this kind of assistance to Cuba.

“Would it be plausible to render similar assistance to our neighbouring countries that are going through the same circumstances?”

Pandor explained that the African Renaissance Fund [ARF] was an entity within her department whose very purpose is to provide support for humanitarian crises and other initiatives that have a developmental character to them outside SA.

She said SA had been able, from time to time, to provide assistance to neighbouring countries, like it did to Zimbabwe over a year ago when it had huge hunger in areas that had been affected by a cyclone.

“We provided maize and this was through ARF and we are hoping that once we overcome this case, we assist displaced communities that are returning to their land in Mozambique to help them to initiate agricultural projects,” she said. “We have other funds within budgets of other departments that are for development assistance to communities in SA.

“Indeed we have a difficult financial situation as SA, but since we do have a few rand that we can use to assist others, we do from time to time provide assistance on a small scale that I believe other countries appreciate,” she said.

“Very sadly” due to the decision of the court, SA has not been able to respond to Cuba’s request for humanitarian aid.

AfriForum approached the Pretoria high court earlier this year seeking an interdict to prevent Dirco from making the donation to Cuba. The court granted the interdict.

Pandor said they approached the Constitutional Court on the matter because they believe this was interference with executive obligations that are granted by the constitution.

On Tuesday, the Constitutional Court dismissed Dirco’s application for direct access to appeal the high court order. 

The apex court said it was too early for it to hear the matter and that government should continue through the high court and the Supreme Court of Appeal [SCA], she said.

“So we have submitted a petition to the SCA. We believe that it is the right of the government to form and execute international relations and it can’t be AfriForum that tells us who and whom the government should interface with on the basis of humanitarian or any other area of activity in international relations.”

“So, there has not been any action because it is still a matter we are pursuing in court.”

Pandor said SA and Cuba enjoy very strong and solid bonds of friendship and a number of steps have been taken over the years to strengthen relations between the two countries.

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