Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
MEDIA STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PREMIER
Premier Tokyo Sexwale and two of his cabinet ministers will visit the United States and Cuba next month at the invitation of their respective governments. The visits will be undertaken as part of the Gauteng government's ongoing programe to build international links and promote economic growth.
Mr Sexwale will fly to the US from Geneva on Tuesday 6 February after addressing some sessions of the World Economic Forum conference in Davos.
He will be joined in the US by a Gauteng government delegation of approximately four people, including Economics Minister Jabu Moleketi and Health Minister Amos Masondo. A small business delegation will accompany them, at their own expense.
Their itinerary in the US is very intensive and the format of business and political meetings is similar to the one followed during the 1995 visit to South-East Asia. It includes a series of high-profile meetings with key US leaders and several investment meetings in Washington, New York, Atlanta, Sacramento and Los Angeles. The government delegation's expenses while in the US will be covered by the US government.
On 15 February, the Gauteng government delegation will arrive in Cuba to discuss ways of strengthening political and business links. The objective of this visit includes strengthening of links between Habana State and the province of Gauteng. Costs of this leg will be covered by the Gauteng government.
Media reports have suggested that the Gauteng Government asked the US Government to pay for the costs of the trip to Cuba, and that this has soured relations between the US and South Africa. This is incorrect: we would not, and could not, expect one foreign government to pay the costs of a trip to another foreign country.
It is mischievous and incorrect to suggest that there is tension between the Gauteng Government and the US over the costs of the trip to Cuba, when in fact this was never an issue in discussions between the Premier's Office and Us Embassy staff.
At the same time, we believe it is vital that Gauteng is able to establish links and sisterhood agreements with other provinces and states.
The trip to the US and Cuba will open up new investment opportunitn Gauteng, and the Gauteng Government was glad to accept the invitations to visit both these countries.
We are continuing to discuss the itineraries with both the US and Cuban governments, and will release further details of the trip as they are finalised.
Issued by: Chris Vick, Communications Director, Office of the Premier Telephone: (011) 2401641 Pager: (011) 457-1111 code 7320
24 January 1996