Toast Remarks by President Jacob Zuma at the State Banquet in honour of President Robert Mugabe during his State Visit to South Africa

08 April 2015

Your Excellency, Comrade President Robert Mugabe and Mrs Mugabe,

Our Deputy President, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa and Mrs Ramaphosa;

Honourable Ministers, Premiers, Deputy Ministers, Executive Mayors, 

Members of Parliament,

Excellency Ambassadors from the SADC region and all members of the diplomatic corps,

The Leadership of the ANC,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to South Africa, Comrade President, your dear wife and your esteemed delegation.

Our Government and the people of South Africa extend warm and fraternal greetings to their brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe. 

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Zimbabwe and South Africa share historic and fraternal bonds. For many years, our two peoples were once oppressed by white minority regimes. 

It was during those dark years, the years we gallantly fought for our freedom and justice that strong bonds were cemented between our peoples. 

We remember very well the joint military operations which our cadres launched against the oppressors - Wankie, Sipolilo and other heroic campaigns.

When the flag of an independent Zimbabwe was hoisted in Harare on 18 April 1980, the then oppressed people of South Africa suddenly realised that it was a matter of time before they could also attain their freedom. 

The historic victory of the people of Zimbabwe not only resonated in the entire region and the Continent, .it also inspired the peoples of South Africa and Namibia in a fundamental way to forge ahead with their struggle against apartheid oppression. 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

An independent Zimbabwe went on to play its rightful role in the fight against apartheid through the formation and active participation in the Front Line States, a role that contributed to the freedom of both Namibia and South Africa. 

For that, we shall forever be grateful for the comradeship and solidarity when we faced ruthless racist colonial regimes. 

Your Excellency and Dear Brother;

It was in recognition of the role we have just highlighted that our former President Nelson Mandela, soon after the dawn of freedom, invited you on your first state visit to a democratic and free South Africa in August 1994.

Your Excellency,

While we achieved our freedoms in 1980 and 1994 respectively, there is still a lot of work that must be done to improve the socio-economic situation of our peoples. 

We must therefore work together better than ever, to confront the socio-economic challenges we face, and improve the lives of our people in both countries.

The struggle we are waging today of improving the socio-economic situation of our countries is proving to be more difficult than ever thought. 

But, if we partner together as we did when we were fighting against colonialism and apartheid, we shall overcome.

Today we recommitted ourselves to working together to increase our bilateral partnership in various fields including political, economic and social cooperation. 

The signing of the Agreement establishing the Binational Commission chaired by both of us, demonstrates the shared desire to elevate relations to a higher strategic level. 

Our future interactions and consultations within the framework of the Binational Commission will boost the implementation of all agreements that have been signed by the two countries today and in previous years. 

Comrade President, you are accompanied by a business delegation which will be interacting with their South African counterparts at the Business Forum tomorrow here in Pretoria. 

Their interactions will further strengthen our economic ties and bring us closer to the achievement of our aspirations of growing our respective economies. 

Our message to them is clear. Their investments must lead to job creation. Our people need jobs, they need an improved quality of life.

Your Excellency

Considering our respective leadership roles in SADC, Zimbabwe and South Africa need to consult on regular basis to advance regional integration and maintenance of peace and security.

The ongoing peace and security challenges on the Continent also require us to consult regularly with a view to finding lasting peace and stability. 

At this juncture, we reiterate our condemnation in the strongest possible terms of the recent terrorist attacks at the Garissa School College in Kenya resulting in so many unwarranted deaths and injuries. 

We once again convey our condolences to the Government and people of Kenya in particular to the families of the victims.

Comrade President, as chairperson of the African Union, you lead us in the quest for peace and stability in every corner of Africa. 

South Africa will continue to play its role in supporting peacekeeping and peace-making and also the fight against terrorism in our beloved continent.

We must also continue the quest for the reform of international institutions, including the United Nations which turns 70 years old this year. The exclusion of Africa from the permanent membership of the UN Security Council requires our skilful attention. We must move beyond lamentations now, and put forward  concrete proposals for meaningful reform focussing in the main on the African continent.

Comrade President,

We are truly pleased that you have been able to undertake this State Visit.

We are happy as well that tomorrow you will visit Soweto, and in particular the Hector Petersen memorial, which is a symbol of the heroic sacrifices of our youth for freedom and justice.

Earlier today you went to Freedom Park, another symbol of the painful history of colonialism and apartheid. 

These symbols demonstrate that it is possible to overcome adversity and oppression, if an oppressed people put their sights on victory.

Your Excellency

We have had fruitful deliberations. We look forward to enhanced engagements and cooperation between the two sister nations from today onwards.

Distinguished guests,

May I invite you to please rise and join me in a toast to the good health of His Excellency, President Robert Mugabe, to prosperity and to everlasting solidarity and comradeship between the people of Zimbabwe and the people of South Africa.

To friendship and comradeship!

I thank you!

Issued by the Presidency, April 8 2015

President. Zuma getting down@theBanquet. With first ladies pic.twitter.com/z8aopIAogZ

— Jackson Mthembu (@JacksonMthembu_) April 8, 2015

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