Pretoria - Students should emulate the dedication shown by late struggle icon Albertina Sisulu, says Ambassador Phatse Justice Piitso.
Piitso, who is South Africa's ambassador to Cuba, was speaking at a farewell function hosted by the South African embassy in Havana, Cuba, for 72 medical students who have completed their studies in Cuba.
"Over 470 South African medical students are currently studying in Cuba and 275 have already graduated and working in different parts of South Africa, especially the far-flanked rural areas that are in need of the vital medical service," said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) on Tuesday.
Ambassador Piitso, who paid tribute to Sisulu who died last Thursday at her Linden, Johannesburg home, encouraged students to emulate as well as be exemplary to Sisulu's commitment and dedication in the service of people.
Sisulu who died aged 92 contributed 43 years of her life to the nursing profession.
A delegation of the South African Department of Health including Eastern Cape Health MEC Sicelo Gqobana and high-ranking officials from the Cuban Ministry of Health attend the function.
Piitso thanked the Cuban Revolution for its contribution to the fight for liberation for South Africa and the African continent, adding that the internationalist character of the Cuban Revolution is currently offering 26 000 scholarships for students from the remote poor regions of the world, especially from the Third-World countries.
South Africa and Cuba maintain good friendly historic relationship that was born out of the common struggles the people of both nations share.
Last December President Jacob Zuma was accompanied by several ministers as well as senior government and the business community, paid a State Visit to Cuba to further foster and deepen this historic relationship.
