Government will this week welcome 24 Cuban engineers, who have been seconded to South Africa to enhance government’s efforts in water delivery and related services.
Water and Sanitation spokesperson, Sputnik Ratau, said the highly qualified Cuban specialists will assist as advisors at provincial and local level across the country, sharing their vast skills in the areas of mechanical, electrical and civil engineering, as well as project management.
“Some of the engineers’ core responsibilities include the practical exploration of sustainable use of water resources, maintenance and management of water supply and sanitation infrastructure, and the strategic planning of those resources, particularly in rural and other disadvantaged communities,” Ratau said.
The arrival of the engineers follows a 2014 bilateral agreement between South Africa and Cuba on cooperation in the fields of water resources management and water supply.
Water and Sanitation Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, together with South African Ambassador to Cuba, H.E Shope-Linley and Ambassador Rodolfo Benítez Verson, as well as the President of the Cuba Hydraulic Institute, Antonio Rodriquez-Rodriquez, will lead the welcoming ceremony in Pretoria East, on Thursday. – SAnews.gov.za
