Just News |
The Democratic Alliance(DA) is calling on the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO)to clarify why the government is donating R50 million to Cuba.
The Deputy Minister of DIRCO, Alvin Botes, on Wednesday, told the parliamentary portfolio committee on DIRCO that the money would be donated to Cuba to alleviate food security issues due to sanctions imposed by the USA.
DA Member of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation Willem Faber said the ANC appears to be going out of its way to find new means to splurge money on Cuba.
“Over the past decade, the ANC government has spent R1.4 billion just on agreements with the Cuban government to employ Cuban workers and service providers in South Africa. Money that could’ve been spent on creating job opportunities and alleviating food security issues back home.”
Faber reiterated that the ANC government needs to reveal exactly where the R50 million donation comes from and how they will account for every cent the Cubans spent.
“In a country where the unemployment rate is staggering and perpetually on the increase, the ANC government would rather pay tribute to its obsession by employing a handful of Cubans above the hundreds of qualified South Africans able to do the job.”
Faber stressed that South Africa simply cannot afford to donate R50 million to Cuba.
“We do not have the money. And if we did, it should be spent on addressing the severe socioeconomic problems in this country. South Africa is drowning in debt, mismanagement and corruption, and the ANC government would rather throw our life raft to their Cuban crushes than kick free of the undertow.”
