Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
MEDIA STATEMENT ON THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF SOUTH AFRICA'S MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS, DR MANGOSUTHU G BUTHELEZI, TO GERMANY: 23 TO 29 JUNE 1998
Minister Buthelezi has concluded a very successful official visit to Germany from 23-29 June 1998 to investigate, inter alia, German immigration/ border control policies and to meet his German counterpart, Minister Manfred Kanther. Minister Buthelezi also received the prestigious Bruno Schubert Foundation's 1998 environmental award (category 1) on 28 June 1998 in Frankfurt am Main for his contribution to environmental conservation in Southern Africa.
During his visit to Germany Minister Buthelezi participated in two South African investment conferences, ie the Europe-South Africa (ESA '98) Conference in Hamburg on 23 June 1998 and a mini-conference in Magdeburg on 24 June 1998. Minister Buthelezi also represented the South African Government at the presentation of the Eric-M Warburg Prize, on 29 June 1998, to veteran pilots who participated in the Berlin Airlift. Retired Major-General Duncan Mac Dougal-Ralston received the prize for South Africa.
The other countries whose veterans received the prize were Australia, France, Great Britain, New Zealand and the United States of America.
On 25 June 1998 Minister Buthelezi had discussions with members of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation; the Chairman of the German Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, Dr Willfried Penner; the Chairman of the German Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs, Dr Karl-Heinz Hornhues; the Parliamentary State Secretary of Home Affairs, Mr Eduard Lintner; the German Minister of the Interior, Minister Kanther; and various other German senior officials.
The discussions with Minister Kanther focused on the strengthening of the relationship between South Africa and Germany and on cooperation in the fields of immigration, border control, asylum, amnesty and visa policies.
Minister Buthelezi's itinerary included a special programme which has been arranged by the German Border Police (BGS) to introduce the Minister to the practical implementation of German immigration and border control policies.
In recognition of Minister Buthelezi's lifelong endeavours regarding the protection of threatened species of fauna in Southern Africa and the conservation of their habitat in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, the Bruno Schubert Foundation honoured Minister Buthelezi with their prestigious annual environmental award (category 1) during a ceremony in the historic Emperors' Hall of the City Hall of Frankfurt am Main on Sunday 28 June 1998.
Minister Buthelezi received the award in his capacity as Patron of the Magqubu Ntombela Foundation. He is also President of the Wildlands Trust, President of the Rhino and Elephant Foundation of Southern Africa and Trustee of the Wilderness Leadership School. Prior to the award ceremony, Minister Buthelezi briefly met with the Lord Mayor of Frankfurt am Main, Mrs Petra Roth.
Following Minister Buthelezi's official visit, he is participating in an unofficial programme in Germany from 29 June to 3 July 1998, arranged by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN EMBASSY IN BONN PRETORIA 30 JUNE 1998