Remarks by Ambassador PJ Pitso on the occasion of the 17th Anniversary of Freedom Day, Hotel Nacional, 27 April 2011

Programme Director, Counsellor Thando Nyawose,
The Leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba,
The Leadership of the Cuban Government,
The Leadership of the Workers’ Central Union of Cuba,
Colleagues from the Diplomatic Corps,
Comrades from all mass-based organisations present,
Comrades and Compatriots,

On behalf of the President of our Republic, Comrade Jacob Zuma, and the entire people of South Africa, we thank you very much for having joined us on this rare occasion of the 17th Anniversary Celebrations of the South African Freedom Day. We again thank the Commander-in-Chief and the General of the Army, President Raul Castro, for having bestowed the Order of Jose Marti, the National Hero of the Cuban nation to our President during his recent State Visit to Cuba. We count this historic bilateral relationship between the two Governments and Peoples, to nurture the generations to come.

We are proud to celebrate this important calendar day on the soil that has produced heroic warriors, whose footprints will forever shape the future to come. Throughout history, the Cuban men and women, inspired by the heroism of the Mother of their Nation, Mariana Grajales, led decisive battles to liberate the African Continent. The blood that you have shed in defence of the noble cause for humanity, has nourished the trees that will forever bear fruits of liberation of mankind.

Our Freedom Day Anniversary celebrations coincide with epic events in the history of the Cuban Revolution: the successful conclusion of the 6th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, the 50th Anniversary Declaration of the Socialist Character of the Cuban Revolution and the victorious Battle of Playa Girón.  The people of South Africa count themselves fortunate amongst the few to have witnessed these glorious events that have marked a turning point in the chapters of our history.

These historic events beacon and demonstrate that the working class is the most reliable force to consolidate and advance the victory of humankind into the future. History would always cherish these great acts of our people under the courageous tutelage of our Commander-in-Chief, Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz, and our Father and President, Comrade Rolihlahla Nelson Mandela.

We celebrate this day at the time when our Mother Earth is confronted by complex political and socio-economic conditions that threaten our existence. At the same time, we hope that our celebration will share with the peace-loving people of the world the opportunity to explore the prospects for peace, stability and socio-economic development, which the very same world conditions provide for us.

The centuries of struggles that the people of South Africa led against imperialism and vicious colonialism of a special type (Apartheid), should convince us more that the world is a home of hope for humanity and that through commitment and common struggles we can advance its cause. I therefore take this opportunity to invite you join the people of South Africa in the Centenary Anniversary Celebrations of their glorious national liberation movement, the African National Congress, the oldest liberation movement in Africa, on the 8th of January next year, 2012. Throughout all these years, it is this titanic movement of our people that has taught us that the world has more prospects to offer for the advancement of the noble cause of humanity.

In this regard, we join the progressive nations of the world in demanding for the immediate end of the US-led blockade against the people of Cuba. The criminal blockade that has besieged this island since the beginning of its Revolution has reversed back tremendous prospects that the Cuban Revolution wanted to offer to its people and the entire people of the world. We therefore thank you very much that in the midst of this difficult conditions imposed by the blockade, you can still provide thousands of your doctors and many other rare specialists that the world economy requires in our continent, Africa and many of the Third World countries. Presently, the Cuban Revolution is training over 480 students from South Africa in the fields of medicine and sports management, and there are many Cuban volunteers with requisite skills in South Africa assisting in the development and reconstruction of our economy.

We take this opportunity during this important occasion of the celebration of our Freedom Day to salute the bravery of our Five Heroes, whose determination has made the most powerful empire on Earth to tremble. We celebrate their determination because it has produced in them genuine leaders of tomorrow. As long as our five Cuban Heroes remain to be unjustly incarcerated, the freedom of humanity will remain incomplete. It is our hope that one day they will physically join us in the celebration of this magnificent day; our freedom and struggles into the future need them more than ever before.

Thank you very much.

May you enjoy with us this evening.