Lobby group AfriForum plans to take the government to court over its plan to donate R50m to the Cuban government to alleviate food insecurity in the country.

The group claimed it sent a lawyer’s letter to the department of international relations and co-operation demanding reasons for the donation, but was not satisfied with its response. 

“AfriForum insisted no funds be transferred to Cuba since no reasons for this decision have been communicated to the public. The organisation also demanded an explanation of where the money for this donation comes from and how it can be justified in SA’s current socioeconomic context.

“The government responded to AfriForum’s letter, but the organisation is not satisfied with the reasons provided and will proceed with legal action,” said AfriForum. 

Deputy minister of international relations and co-operation Alvin Botes recently told a parliamentary portfolio committee the donation would help with food security in Cuba amid US sanctions.

“I thought it is important that the parliamentary committee, yourself chair and members be briefed that we have committed to allocating an amount of R50m for special intervention purposes as it relates to the Cuban people, who have experienced real food security challenges because of the extra territory sanctions levelled against Cuba by the US,” said Botes.

A coalition of community-based organisations launched a petition saying the donation to Cuba was unjustified considering the millions who are impoverished in SA. 

“The coalition believes the donation of R50m to a foreign country on the basis of international relations is a gross misallocation of funds, at best,” it said.

The petition had garnered more than 17,000 signatures at the time of publishing this article. 

TimesLIVE ran a poll asking readers what they thought.

Most (81%) said SA was “broke and needed the money”.