On May 11, 2024 Cuba and South Africa are celebrating celebrated the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, characterised by the spirit of brotherhood and solidarity between both governments and peoples.

Although contacts between the two peoples date back to the early 1960s, these ties were formalised during the visit of the historic leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro, to the African nation in 1994. On that occasion, Fidel Castro attended the inauguration of the newly elected President Nelson Mandela. On the other hand, one of Mandela's first trips abroad, after his release, was to Cuba in 1991, when he was decorated with the José Martí Order, the highest distinction awarded by the island.

The formalisation of bilateral relations with Cuba was considered one of the first foreign policy acts of the democratic South African government. In fact, Cuba was the first country to receive diplomatic recognition from the government of the African National Congress (ANC), the party in power since then in South Africa.

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To talk more on relations between the two partners, His Excellency, Mr E Orta González, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Cuba to South Africa joined Thelma Hlongwane in studio for a detailed discussion