Cuba–South Africa relations

Cuba condemned the apartheid government in South Africa and demanded the release of Nelson Mandela. The two nations fought against each other in the Angolan Civil War until 1988:{{citation|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13037271|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708013202/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13037271|archivedate=8 July 2014|title=Angola profile|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|date=22 December 2013|url-status=live}} the apartheid government of South Africa supported the nominally anti-communist National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and Cuba supported the socialist People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). In 1988, Cuba, Angola and South Africa signed the New York Accords, in terms of which Cuba withdrew its troops from Angola in exchange for South Africa granting independence to Namibia.

File:Pro-Cuba protest in Pretoria.jpg protest outside of the Union Buildings in Pretoria to advocate for the removal of sanctions imposed on Cuba by the United States.]]

In July 2014, the African National Congress (ANC) pledged that South Africa will assist Cuba in its fight to remove United States sanctions.{{cite news| url=https://www.voanews.com/a/south-africa-pledges-campaign-against-us-cuba-sanctions/1965109.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726062045/http://www.voanews.com/content/south-africa-pledges-campaign-against-us-cuba-sanctions/1965109.html|archive-date=26 July 2014|title=S. Africa Launches Campaign Against US Cuba Sanctions|first=Thuso|last=Khumalo|date=25 July 2014| url-status=live|publisher=Voice of America}}{{cite news|url=http://www.cadenagramonte.cu/english/index.php/show/articles/18957:south-africa-launches-campaign-against-us-cuba-sanctions|title=South Africa Launches Campaign Against U.S. Cuba Sanctions|date=28 July 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827130528/http://www.cadenagramonte.cu/english/index.php/show/articles/18957%3Asouth-africa-launches-campaign-against-us-cuba-sanctions|archivedate=27 August 2014|publisher=Radio Cadena Agramonte|url-status=dead}}

In 2022 a R50 million donation of food aid was made by the South African government to alleviate food insecurity in Cuba.{{Cite web |last=Bhengu |first=Cebelihle |date=11 February 2022 |title=Petition to halt government's R50m donation to Cuba gains momentum |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2022-02-11-petition-to-halt-governments-r50m-donation-to-cuba-gains-momentum/ |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=TimesLIVE |language=en-ZA}} It was criticised within South Africa for not instead being used to alleviate domestic food insecurity that detractors argued was worse than in Cuba.{{Cite web |last=Felix |first=Jason |title=As Pandor defends SA's R50 million aid to Cuba, AfriForum wants answers in court |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/as-pandor-defends-sas-r50-million-aid-to-cuba-afriforum-wants-answers-in-court-20220307 |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} Criticism of the donation prompted the South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, to speculate about what she described as the "mystery" of anti-Cuban sentiment within South Africa.{{Cite web |title='There is mystery of a very determined anti-Cuba sentiment,' Pandor on donations |url=https://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/445300/there-is-mystery-of-a-very-determined-anti-cuba-sentiment-pandor-on-donations |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=CapeTalk |language=en-ZA}}

Since 1996 the South African government has sought to secure the skills of Cuban nationals with certain technical skills from the Cuban government. This practice as drawn controversy over its need given the large number of South Africans already with these skills, skills mismatches, and the cost associated with this practice.

South Africa since 1996 South Africa has been a recipient of Cuban medical internationalism. Between 1996 and 2002, more than 450 Cuban doctors and medical lecturers were deployed in South Africa{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/10/world/cuban-doctors-find-niche-in-rural-south-africa.html|title=Cuban Doctors Find Niche in Rural South Africa|date=10 May 1998|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417135714/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/10/world/cuban-doctors-find-niche-in-rural-south-africa.html|archivedate=17 April 2015}}{{cite journal|jstor=25065171|last=Hammett|first=Daniel|date=March 2007|title=Cuban Intervention in South African Health Care Service Provision|journal=Journal of Southern African Studies|publisher=Taylor & Francis|volume=33|issue=1|pages=63–81|doi=10.1080/03057070601136574 }} and about a hundred South African students a year are trained in Cuba before finishing their studies in South Africa.{{cite journal|last=Bateman|first=Chris|date=August 2013|title=Doctor shortages: Unpacking the 'Cuban solution'|journal=South African Medical Journal|volume=103|issue=9|pages=603–605|doi=10.7196/samj.7323|doi-broken-date=2024-11-10 |url=http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/view/7323/5357|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417141212/http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/view/7323|archivedate=17 April 2015|doi-access=free|pmid=24344423 }}

Both aspects of the programme have been criticised because of the mismatch between skills needed and taught in Cuba and those in South Africa, the inability of Cuban doctors to speak local languages, and the fact that medical students in Cuba must spend a year learning Spanish and return knowing medical terminology only in Spanish.{{cite news|url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/sa-cuba-medical-programme-criticised-1.1545474|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329085428/http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/sa-cuba-medical-programme-criticised-1.1545474|archivedate=29 March 2015|title=SA-Cuba medical programme criticised}} In 2013, 187 students out 1200 in Cuba went on strike for higher stipends and more variety in meals.{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/SA-medical-students-in-Cuba-on-strike-20130221|title=SA medical students in Cuba on strike}}

During the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa the South African government deployed Cuban medical personal across the country{{Cite web|last=Davis|first=Rebecca|title=Coronavirus Analysis: Is the deployment of Cuban doctors to SA justified?|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-04-30-is-the-deployment-of-cuban-doctors-to-sa-justified/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802085821/https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-04-30-is-the-deployment-of-cuban-doctors-to-sa-justified/|archive-date=2 August 2020|access-date=8 May 2020|website=Daily Maverick}}{{Cite web|date=29 April 2020|title=Cuban doctors came at our request – Minister of Health|url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/cuban-doctors-came-at-our-request-minister-of-health-20200429|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527042108/https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/cuban-doctors-came-at-our-request-minister-of-health-20200429|archive-date=27 May 2020|access-date=8 May 2020|website=News24}}{{Cite web|title=Here's where the Cuban doctors will be deployed to fight Covid-19|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-04-28-heres-where-the-cuban-doctors-will-be-deployed-to-fight-covid-19/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729003646/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-04-28-heres-where-the-cuban-doctors-will-be-deployed-to-fight-covid-19/|archive-date=29 July 2020|access-date=8 May 2020|website=TimesLIVE}} to help fight the pandemic at a cost of R429 million. The deployment was controversial with the South African Medical Association, The South African Internationally Trained Health Professionals Association and Democratic Alliance{{Cite web|title=COVID-19: DA wants govt to prioritise SA health workers|url=https://www.enca.com/news/da-wants-govt-prioritise-sa-doctors|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200508190047/https://www.enca.com/news/da-wants-govt-prioritise-sa-doctors|archive-date=8 May 2020|access-date=8 May 2020|website=eNCA}} criticising it for not using unemployed South African medical professionals instead. The Daily Maverick questioned the high cost paid for the doctors. The United States government criticised their deployment and payments made for their services as a form of human trafficking{{Cite web|title=US criticises South Africa's use of Cuban doctors in fight against Covid-19|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/us-criticises-south-africas-use-of-cuban-doctors-in-fight-against-covid-19-47384258|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729042958/https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/us-criticises-south-africas-use-of-cuban-doctors-in-fight-against-covid-19-47384258|archive-date=29 July 2020|access-date=8 May 2020|website=Independent Online|location=South Africa}} whilst the Cuban government rejected allegations of profiting from the deployment of its doctors{{Cite web|last=Mabena|first=Charles Cilliers and Sipho|title=Cuba rejects report that its doctors will get R440m from SA as a 'smear' from the USA|url=https://citizen.co.za/news/covid-19/2276907/cuba-rejects-report-that-its-doctors-will-get-r440m-from-sa-as-a-smear-from-the-usa/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728232036/https://citizen.co.za/news/covid-19/2276907/cuba-rejects-report-that-its-doctors-will-get-r440m-from-sa-as-a-smear-from-the-usa/|archive-date=28 July 2020|access-date=8 May 2020|website=The Citizen}} and stated that criticism was part of a "smear campaign".

In April 2021 the South African government announced that 24 Cuban water engineers would be contracted to enhance the country's water infrastructure.{{Cite web|last=Mitchley|first=Alex|title=Cuban engineers to transfer water, sanitation skills that SA engineers do not have - Sisulu|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/cuban-engineers-to-transfer-water-sanitation-skills-that-sa-engineers-do-not-have-sisulu-20210422|access-date=2021-05-24|website=News24|language=en-US}} This was criticised by the trade union Solidarity,{{Cite web|last=Evans|first=Compiled by Jenni|title=Solidarity wants Lindiwe Sisulu to suspend Cuban engineer programme to fix water infrastructure|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/solidarity-wants-lindiwe-sisulu-to-suspend-cuban-engineer-programme-to-fix-water-infrastructure-20210426|access-date=2021-05-24|website=News24|language=en-US}} South African Institution of Civil Engineering,{{Cite web|title=Why are Cuban engineers better than South African ones?|url=https://www.specifile.co.za/saice-condemns-use-of-cuban-engineers-in-south-africa/|access-date=2021-05-24|website=www.specifile.co.za}} and academics{{Cite web|title=South Africa won't benefit from Cuban engineers - Water expert|url=https://www.702.co.za/articles/414736/south-africa-won-t-benefit-from-cuban-engineers-water-expert|access-date=2021-05-24|website=702|language=en-ZA}} as unnecessary given the country's already existing engineering skills in building and maintaining water infrastructure.

Since 2015 the Cuban technical military mechanics have been deployed to service South African military equipment.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-23|title=South Africa's Cuban connection questioned again|url=https://www.defenceweb.co.za/sa-defence/sa-defence-sa-defence/south-africas-cuban-connection-questioned-again/|access-date=2021-05-24|website=defenceWeb|language=en-ZA}} The cost of this deployment is estimated to have been at least R1 billion.{{Cite web|author=Staff Writer|title=South Africa spent R1.6 billion on Cubans – but locals could have done the work|url=https://mybroadband.co.za/news/government/398333-south-africa-spent-r1-6-billion-on-cubans-but-locals-could-have-done-the-work.html|access-date=2021-05-24|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Gerber|first=Jan|title=Defence dept cash-strapped, but pays Cubans more than R1 billion to repair equipment|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/defence-dept-cash-strapped-but-pays-cubans-more-than-r1-billion-to-repair-equipment-20210524|access-date=2021-05-24|website=News24|language=en-US}} The cost and use of Cuban nationals has been controversial with both the Democratic Alliance and Freedom Front Plus political parties questioning the practice.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was forced to return 500 000 vials irregularly procured COVID-19 drugs back to Cuba after it was reveled that R228 million (equivalent to US$ 14.9 million) worth of Heberon Alfa R 2b was improperly procured from the country.{{Cite web|last=Gibson|first=Erika|date=2022-01-26|title=HASTA LA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB: Back to Cuba: SANDF returns irregularly procured Covid drug worth R228m|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-01-26-back-to-cuba-sandf-returns-irregularly-procured-covid-drug-worth-r228m/|access-date=2022-01-27|website=Daily Maverick|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2022-01-26|title=Millions of rand lost as SANDF returns unauthorised Cuban Covid-19 drug|url=https://mg.co.za/news/2022-01-26-millions-rand-sandf-returns-unauthorised-cuban-covid-drug/|access-date=2022-01-27|website=The Mail & Guardian|language=en-ZA}} A total of 970,695 vials were illegally imported and delivered to the SANDF in 2020 with a total value of R229 million (US$ 15 million) as part of more than R 1 billion spent in Operation Thusano.{{Cite web|last=Gibson|first=Erika|date=2022-01-26|title=HASTA LA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB: Back to Cuba: SANDF returns irregularly procured Covid drug worth R228m|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-01-26-back-to-cuba-sandf-returns-irregularly-procured-covid-drug-worth-r228m/|access-date=2022-01-27|website=Daily Maverick|language=en}} All money spent in the operation was declared "irregular" by the South African Auditor-General.{{Cite web|last=Gibson|first=Erika|date=2022-01-26|title=HASTA LA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB: Back to Cuba: SANDF returns irregularly procured Covid drug worth R228m|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-01-26-back-to-cuba-sandf-returns-irregularly-procured-covid-drug-worth-r228m/|access-date=2022-01-27|website=Daily Maverick|language=en}}

{{reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{citation|url=http://www.dfa.gov.za/foreign/bilateral/cuba.html|title=Cuba (Republic of)|publisher=Department of International Relations and Cooperation: Republic of South Africa|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306214106/http://www.dfa.gov.za/foreign/bilateral/cuba.html|archivedate=6 March 2014|url-status=live}}

{{refend}}

{{Foreign relations of Cuba}}

{{Foreign relations of South Africa}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuba-South Africa relations}}

South Africa

Category:Bilateral relations of South Africa