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Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor.
- Dirco’s minister, Naledi Pandor, is disgusted by the “moans and moans” from the Cuban medical brigade.
- He said that the Cabinet decided to nominate them for the Nobel Peace Prize in the spirit of international solidarity.
- Opposition MPs questioned why they did not appoint South African medical personnel in their place.
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, expressed her disgust at the “moans and groans” of the 217 members of the Cuban medical brigade who arrived in South Africa to help with the pandemic.
Pandor participated in a debate during a virtual mini-plenary of the National Assembly on Thursday.
ANC speakers at the debate, as well as EFF’s Sophie Thembekwayo and Al Jama-ah’s Ganief Hendricks, thanked Cuban doctors and other medical personnel for their contribution in South Africa during the pandemic, highlighting it as an example of the performance of Cuba. commitment to “international solidarity”, in particular with the global South. The role of Cuba in the South African struggle and the eventual dismantling of apartheid was also generously recognized.
Opposition MPs generally thanked the Cuban medical brigade for their contribution, but questioned why the government brought them in at a high cost, while South African medical personnel are unemployed.
Also criticized was the government’s decision to nominate Cubans for the Nobel Peace Prize, announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa last month. Opposition MPs praised South African medical personnel and questioned why they were not nominated.
Cabinet approved a proposal to nominate the contingent of Cuban doctors who were deployed to the country and other parts of the world to help fight Covid-19 for the Nobel Peace Prize.
– News24 (@ News24) February 2, 2021
DA deputy Lindy Wilson said she was not aware of any member of the Cuban Medical Brigade dying due to Covid-19, but many South African medical staff did.
“How much more evidence do we need that the lives of South Africans mean nothing to this ANC government?”
He said that everyone who helped end apartheid should be applauded. “But how long is the recovery?”
At the beginning of her speech, Pandor said she was “disgusted by the moans and groans,” while people should be grateful for the support.
He said acknowledging the Cubans did not distract from the “immense gratitude” to South African medical personnel.
“Now that we have benefited, we cannot suddenly reject generosity,” he said.
The nomination of the Cubans, a decision made by the Cabinet, is in the spirit of international solidarity.
“The Republic of Cuba has been a vital incarnation of humanism and international solidarity since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1963,” he said.
“Those who have not known oppression will not appreciate the absolutely important role that Cuba contributed to our freedom,” Pandor said.
After the ANC MP Richard Dyantyi, who chaired the mini-plenary, adjourned the session, DA MP Cameron Mackenzie said on the virtual platform: “When were the last democratic elections in Cuba?”
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