Johannesburg, Aug 15 (PTI): The celebration of India’s Independence Day represents the resilience, courage and the unwavering spirit of the people who reclaimed their destiny, South African minister Solly Malatsi said on Friday.
Malatsi, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, was the chief guest at the 79th Independence Day celebrations hosted by the Indian High Commission in Pretoria.
Malatsi endorsed the sentiments expressed by High Commissioner Prabhat Kumar in a preceding address.
“The friendship between India and South Africa is rooted in our shared history of resilience against colonial oppression nurtured by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, who championed justice, dignity and equality,” Kumar said.
“This legacy continues to flourish today through robust economic culture and people-to-people ties. Our cooperation spans global platforms, like the United Nations, BRICS, IBSA and the G20, where we advocate for a fair, more representative world order,” he added.
Malatsi said the visionary leadership provided by Gandhi and Nehru “laid the foundation for what is today the world’s largest and one of the most vibrant democracies”.
“We are home to 1.7 million people of Indian origin, which represents a living testament to a bond forged through our shared struggle,” the minister said.
“The links between the systems of Gandhi and the philosophy of the father of our nation, Nelson Mandela, are well-known and to this day continue to influence both our nations as we aim to build prosperous societies,” Malatsi said.
Referring to a legacy of 5,000 years, Malatsi said India today stands as a global leader.
“Today India stands in the forefront of technology and innovation as a global leader with the power to transform lives,” Malatsi said.
“India’s successful multi-faceted development programmes and its applications focusing on technology and scientific advancement are laudable, and South Africa should and will promote cooperation in this way,” he added. PTI FH GSP GSP
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