Chairperson, this agreement between the government of the RSA and the government of the Republic of Cuba on economic assistance was signed in Pretoria on 3 February 2012 by Minister Rob Davies and the ambassador of Cuba, His Excellency Angel Villa.
The financial package set out in the agreement consists of facilities A, B and C. Facility A is a grant of R40 million for the purchase of seed, and R5 million is allocated for the purchase of seed in South Africa. The remaining R35 million is for the purchase of seed either in South Africa or elsewhere in the world.
Facility B is a solidarity grant of R100 million for the purchase of goods in the South African market. Facility C is a R210 million credit line, wherein a first tranche of R70 million will be made available immediately on entry into force of the agreement. The second tranche of R140 million will be made available after the repayment of the initial R70 million.
In view of South Africa's recognition of these strategic avenues for deepening dialogue and bilateral economic relations, the Select Committee on Trade and International Relations requests that the House ratifies the agreement on economic assistance between the government of the RSA and the government of the Republic of Cuba.
Declarations of vote:
Chairperson, a generous and charitable spirit is a virtuous quality for any nation. It is only fair that South Africa should be known in the community of nations as a generous state that is willing to help where and when our help is sorely needed. Here at home, we have millions of people trapped in a cycle of poverty. Our own people are homeless; our own people are jobless; our own people struggle to feed themselves. This money we are so easily giving to Cuba is money we could put to work here in our own country. What is the motivation for bailing out the Castro regime, which remains hellbent on maintaining the communist status quo by limiting freedom of expression, association, assembly, movement and the press?
South Africa should always seek to lead other countries in democratic transition, respect for human rights, constitutionalism and freedom. We must leverage our influence and stand as an example to the world. Is this our policy with respect to Cuba? The ANC is betraying the people of South Africa with this grant to Cuba. [Interjections.] The ANC is still a captive of Cold War communist ideology. The Cold War is over! It was won by the forces for freedom and prosperity. Cuba's relentless adherence to a failed ideology is the root cause of its economic woes. The Castro regime should be consigned to the pages of history. It is a modern absurdity on the lunatic fringe of global politics.
South Africa should not declare any solidarity with the communist Cuban regime. The ANC proposes that this Parliament declares its solidarity with the Castro regime by giving it R250 million, over and above the R1,1 billion of bad Cuban debt that President Zuma wrote off last year. If the ANC wishes to repay an old debt to Cuba, let the money come from Luthuli House. [Interjections.] The ANC will easily find ... [Time expired.]
Chairperson, on behalf of KwaZulu-Natal we recognise the work that Cuba has done to contribute to the health of the people of the province by providing an education to medical doctors and many other personnel and accepting our young people for training in Cuba. We therefore feel that if Cuba is in trouble, we, as South Africa, and not only the people of KwaZulu-Natal, should be true friends. The people of South Africa have benefited from the contribution of Cuba socially and in terms of health and education. There can be no question about that.
The DA is being malicious by choosing friends for the people of South Africa in favour of the capitalist countries. They don't raise these issues against any country that is a capitalist country, except to say to the people of South Africa that the ideology of ubuntu is a useless philosophy or ideology. The people of South Africa must take the DA for what it is: It rejects anything that helps and empowers people, as well as anything that recognises that the people of South Africa are people too. They should also adopt ubuntu as a concept for Africa. [Applause.]
Chair, in agreement with what hon Nzimande from KwaZulu- Natal said, I want to repudiate the notion just expressed by the Western Cape. I would like to remind the Western Cape that besides the health assistance that we are getting from Cuba, as poor as Cuba is and as small as it is, that help is for the South African nation.
I would like to bring to the attention of the Western Cape that even the freedom we enjoy today is because of the enormous assistance and sacrifices that Cuba made for the South African people. I would like to say to the Western Cape that hon De Villiers would not have had the opportunity of sitting in this House today had it not been for the assistance that Cuba gave the people of South Africa. It helped us to defeat apartheid and bring South Africa to where it is today, allowing us to be sitting in this House. [Applause.]
Chairperson, I just want to add my sentiments to what has been said by KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Cape. Last month, Cuba accepted students from the Free State to go and study medicine in that country. It cannot be that when they need us, re ba qhalla matsoho. [... we shun them.]
Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Question put: That the Report be adopted.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West.
AGAINST: Western Cape.
Report accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.