Issued by: The Department of Foreign Affairs
MEDIA STATEMENT ON STATE VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA BY PRESIDENT ROMAN HERZOG OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY, 8-12 MARCH 1998
At the invitation of President Mandela, the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Prof Dr and Mrs Herzog, will arrive in South Africa on 8 March 1998 for a visit to various centres in South Africa over a period of five days. The visit underscores the significant and strong ties between the two countries and recognises Germany's ongoing contribution to the transformation of South Africa, particularly towards the upliftment of disadvantaged South Africans, in its trade and technical cooperation assistance, direct investment and international support in multilateral fora, as well as the role that German companies play in South Africa.
In Gauteng President Herzog will meet with Premier, Dr Mathole Motshegka, certain alumni who studied in Germany, including the former East Germany, and attend the annual dinner of the Southern Africa-German Chamber of Commerce. President Herzog will also visit the Constitutional Court, a personal interest given his own role as former President of the Constitutional Court of Germany. Together with Councillor Mayathula-Khoza of Soweto, President Herzog will lay a wreath at the Hector Peterson Memorial in Soweto and attend a school football match between Soweto and German soccer teams at the German School in Aucklandpark.
The second leg of the state visit will take President Herzog to Cape Town where he will be received by President Mandela on 10 March 1998. President Herzog will also address a special sitting of both houses of Parliament and also meet with Deputy-President Thabo Mbeki. The presidential party will visit Robben Island, the Peace and Development Project in Nyanga and Crossroads, and Cape Point. President Herzog is also scheduled to meet with Archbishop Desmond Tutu of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
President Herzog will visit the Mercedes Benz Plant in East London, a German development project in Alice and the University of Fort Hare, where he will deliver an address and meet students. Together with Premier Stofile President Herzog will meet cabinet members to gain insight into the challenges facing Eastern Cape Province and the provincial/central government relationship.
The visit will also see the signing of agreements in the spheres of environmental cooperation, cultural matters, air and maritime transport, an update on double taxation avoidance, as well as a financial cooperation agreement concerning low-cost housing.
President Herzog, who is in his final year of office, will be visiting South Africa for the first time. This follows the highly successful visit to Germany by both President Mandela in 1996 and that of Deputy President Mbeki in 1997.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 09 FEBRUARY 1998