Pretoria – International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers will this evening host the "Cuban Five" in Cape Town.
Deputy Minister Landers will host the five, who touched down in South Africa on Sunday, at an event held under the theme "Cuban Five Heroes: Tribute to International Solidarity”.
The Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation will also meet with them on Tuesday. They will also attend a sitting of the National Assembly.
The five intelligence officers Gerardo Hernandez, Ramón Labañino, Fernando Gonzalez, Antonio Guerrero and René Gonzalez were arrested in 1998 and charged with conspiracy to commit espionages in the United States of America.
The Cuban Five will be in the country for 13 days and will visit a number of provinces.
They were welcomed by a large crowd of supporters at OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation said the purpose of their visit to South Africa is “to thank the people and the government, including the tripartite alliance, who have used every available opportunity to call for their release”.
Cuba has participated in the reconstruction of South Africa after the demise of apartheid by training scores of South African youth in medicine in Cuba, among other things.
This is in addition to ongoing support for the South African government's main priorities through the implementation of joint programmes in health, social development, defence, housing and infrastructure. – SAnews.gov.za
