The President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun, congratulated and presented his warm wishes to the South African nation, on behalf of the people of Mauritius, on Thursday, on Freedom Day, commemorated annually on 27 April, to mark the first democratic post-apartheid national elections held in South Africa.
In that context, the High Commission of the Republic of South Africa in Mauritius organised, yesterday, at L’Aventure du Sucre, in Beau Plan, a reception where the President and the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, were the guests of honour.
The High Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa, Dr Hlamalani Nelly Manzini; Ministers and Parliamentarians; members of the Diplomatic Corps; and other personalities were present at the event.
In her address for the occasion, Dr Manzini underlined the significance of South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994, where every South African could vote regardless of race, and saluted the heroes and heroines who fought for freedom and democracy. She spoke of a day born out of pain, suffering, and violence, but also of a day of good memories and jubilation, where South Africans responded in unison to former President Nelson Mandela’s appeal for unity towards a rainbow nation.
The High Commissioner seized the opportunity to express her gratitude to the Mauritians who stood shoulders to shoulders with South Africa until the end of the apartheid. She spoke of the period of slavery in Mauritius where many lost their lives to build a prosperous country, and stated that the common history of pain formed a solid foundation for the two nations to establish ties. Dr Manzini recalled, too, the visit of late Nelson Mandela to Mauritius in 1998, which laid the foundation of bilateral relationship of utmost importance.
The collaboration in multilateral fora, the mutual support on several issues, and the business, trade and investment partnerships were underscored as well by the High Commissioner. She urged for a strengthening of cooperation and more robust partnership to boost the diplomatic bilateral and economic ties.
