SA ruling party celebrates 90th birthday of Fidel Castro

The ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Saturday joined the peoples and revolutionary movements of the Global South in celebrating the 90th birthday of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

The occasion of the 90th birthday of Fidel Castro comes as South Africa marks more than 20 years of bilateral relations with Cuba, with party-to-party relations between the ANC and the Communist Party of Cuba stretching back even further.

Castro is a longstanding supporter and friend of the ANC and the South African people, and remains a global icon for his commitment to internationalism and solidarity of the nations of the Global South, the ANC said in a statement.

"Our two parties enjoy a long history of cooperation dating back to the anti-apartheid struggle, when Cuba led by Comrade Castro, lent invaluable military assistance not just to the ANC but also to other frontline states battling the might of the apartheid military apparatus," the statement said.

In the 1960s, the first group of South African students arrived in Cuba for training in medicine and other sciences. Since then hundreds of South Africa medical doctors have been trained in Cuba as part of the government's efforts to strengthen South Africa's public health system.

As part of this successful programme, Cuba has also come to South Africa to serve in rural hospitals and clinics around the country. Cuba has also supported South Africa with engineers working in various fields in the country.

"The ANC is pleased to say that bilateral trade relations between South Africa and the Republic of Cuba continue to grow from strength to strength," said the statement.

Today the ANC reaffirms its solidarity with the Cuban people, who continue to suffer as a result of an illegal and inhumane commercial, economic and financial embargo stretching over five decades, the statement said. Endit