Hundreds of South Africans have taken to social media to react to reports the SA government is set to donate R50m to Cuba.
Deputy minister of international relations and co-operation Alvin Botes told a parliamentary portfolio committee the donation would go towards helping food security in that country amid US sanctions.
“I thought it is important that the parliamentary committee and yourself chair, and members to get briefed about the fact that we have committed to allocate 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 that have been levelled against the people of Cuba by the US,” said Botes.
Former president Jacob Zuma received Cuba’s highest award in 2010. In his acceptance speech he said ties between Cuba and SA “remain unbreakable because it was forged in the long and bitter struggle against apartheid”.
The country sent doctors to SA to help in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and the SA National Defence Force forked out more than R200m to procure close to a million doses of interferon from Cuba to protect members of the defence force from Covid-19. This was done despite the drug not being registered with the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority and bypassing procurement laws.
The R50m donation was met with anger and confusion by many, who questioned why the money was being given to Cuba when so many South Africans are living under the poverty line.
Here’s a look at some of the reactions on social media:
‘They must have our nudes’ — Mzansi fuming over government’s ‘R50m Cuba donation’
Image: REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli
Hundreds of South Africans have taken to social media to react to reports the SA government is set to donate R50m to Cuba.
Deputy minister of international relations and co-operation Alvin Botes told a parliamentary portfolio committee the donation would go towards helping food security in that country amid US sanctions.
“I thought it is important that the parliamentary committee and yourself chair, and members to get briefed about the fact that we have committed to allocate 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 that have been levelled against the people of Cuba by the US,” said Botes.
Former president Jacob Zuma received Cuba’s highest award in 2010. In his acceptance speech he said ties between Cuba and SA “remain unbreakable because it was forged in the long and bitter struggle against apartheid”.
The country sent doctors to SA to help in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and the SA National Defence Force forked out more than R200m to procure close to a million doses of interferon from Cuba to protect members of the defence force from Covid-19. This was done despite the drug not being registered with the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority and bypassing procurement laws.
The R50m donation was met with anger and confusion by many, who questioned why the money was being given to Cuba when so many South Africans are living under the poverty line.
Here’s a look at some of the reactions on social media:
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