SA Parliament honours Cuba counterpart invitation

South Africa National Assembly Speaker, Baleka Mbete, is leading a multi-party delegation of eight Members of Parliament (MPs) on an official parliamentary visit to the Republic of Cuba.

The eight MPs are Mmatlala Boroto (National Assembly House Chairperson: International Relations), Jackson Mthembu (Chief Whip, African National Congress), Dorries Dlakude (Deputy Chief Whip, African National Congress), John Steenhuisen (Chief Whip, Democratic Alliance), Nyiko Shivambu (Chief Whip, Economic Freedom Fighters), Narend Singh (Chief Whip, Inkatha Freedom Party), Tasneem Motara (Provincial Whip: Gauteng), and Regina Lesoma (Whip, Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Co-operation).

The official Parliament-to-Parliament visit follows an invitation from Mbete’s Cuban counterpart, President of the National Assembly of People’s Power Esteban Lazo Hernández.

The visit is in keeping with the fifth Parliament’s strategic objective to strengthen relations with Parliaments across the world, to enrich scrutiny and oversight of Executive action.

A bilateral meeting with Hernández is among the engagements scheduled for the week, together with a meeting with the Federation of Cuban Women, meetings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Health, the Genetic Engineering Biotechnology Centre and the Latin American School of Medicine.

Visits to places of interest include the African Founding Fathers Park, Africa House Museum, Old Havana and an official wreath-laying ceremony in honour of José Martí at the José Martí Memorial.