Judgment has been reserved in an urgent interdict application in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria which lobby group AfriForum lodged to prevent the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) from making a planned R50-million donation to Cuba. Judge Brenda Neukircher has committed to handing down a written judgment by next week.
The government's decision to grant the Republic of Cuba R50-million in aid, has come under scrutiny, and officials will now have to explain the decision in court. According to International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor, Cuba faces chronic food, fuel, medicine, and electricity shortages.
The DA calls 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, yesterday told the parliamentary portfolio committee on DIRCO that the money would be donated to Cuba to apparently alleviate food security issues due to sanctions imposed by the USA.