"Utterly Disgraceful!": Mzansi Calls Out the SA Government for Wanting to Donate R50 Million to Cuba

• Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Alvin Botes says South Africa will make a financial donation to Cuba
• Botes says the sanctioned country has been having issues with food security and Mzansi will be donating R50 million to Cuba
• South Africans are not thrilled about the donation declaration and feel the government should be using that money to help locals

JOHANNESBURG - On Wednesday, 2 February Alvin Botes, the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation briefed the parliamentary committee on the department's plan to assist the sanctioned country Cuba.

Botes stated that South Africa has made a commitment to donate funds to Cuba that will aid the country with food security as it continues to face sanctions from the United States of America.

According to The Citizen, South Africa will be donating a whopping R50 million to its close ally Cuba, however, Botes has not given an indication of when the donation will be made.

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Cuba and South Africa have always had a close relationship and in 2010, former President Jacob Zuma was given Cuba's highest award.

In his acceptance speech, Zuma stated that South Africa and Cuba will continue to forge close relations because of their shared history in the apartheid struggle, according to TimesLIVE.

At the start of the Covid19 pandemic, Cuba sent 200 medical doctors to South Africa who were tasked with helping the country deal with rising infections.

South Africans angered by SA's R50 million donation

The news of the donation to Cuba was not well taken by South Africans. May wondered why the government would want to donate to another country while locals are unemployed and living in poverty.

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Take a look at some comments:

@UlrichJvV said:

"Government is donating R50M to Cuba food security but here in SA people are going hungry. "

@Cwenga_Sir said:

"Not them giving 50 million to Cuba while their own NSFAS students can’t even register."

@majiya_sqhamo said:

"Vukani so that we discuss the 50 million given to Cuba by your government while poverty is roaming streets of our country, vukani we can't let this one slide. #PutSouthAfricaFirst"

@Cyza said:

"SA government only exist to service foreigners. They took a loan of R 11.4 billion and donated R 50 million to Cuba. The high unemployment of SAns means nothing to them, SAns are just means to an end to these ANC crooks. SA is foreigners playground #PutSouthAfricansFirst"

@denny52pen said:

"Imagine, a country with the highest unemployment, and that equates to many other issues such as poverty and hunger etc. donated 50 million to Cuba. WTAFF have the fools running our country not heard about charity starting at home?"

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@Pillz_1852 said:

"Now I don't mind helping out Cuba with 50 million bucks but why do such if unemployment is at an all-time high. Meanwhile loadshedding..."

@Sabza200BC said:

"ANC hates South Africans, I don't know what more proof is required by some to believe that. Just imagine, ANC is using ''Government money'' to bless their political friends at our expense."

@dfv65 said:

"It is utterly disgraceful!"

@rexntsane said:

"No words to describe this is madness. How do we take a loan, to make donations to another country?ANC is indeed determined to reduce our country to ashes."

Trade Union calls Lindiwe Sisulu and Cuban engineers out for alleged employment

Briefly News previously reported that Trade union Solidarity recently revealed that it would be laying a complaint against Lindiwe Sisulu, Water and Sanitation Minister. This comes after she brought over 20 Cuban engineers to South Africa, who are allegedly only receiving 'stipends'.

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On Tuesday, 1 June, Solidarity stated that the Cuban engineers have employment contracts and are receiving up to R300 000 more per year than SA engineers. Solidarity revealed that a portion of the remuneration for the engineers includes furnished accommodation, telephone and food costs as well as flights for trips home to Cuba.

The trade union said that the benefits mentioned above are despite Sisulu's public statement that the engineers are not employees and would therefore not be receiving salaries.

Source: Briefly News