ANC Leaders Meet with Cuban Youth Delegation

SOUTH AFRICA, January 18.— South African President Jacob Zuma and Vice President Kgalema Motlanthe met with a delegation of representatives from the Communist Youth League of Cuba (UJC).

UJC member Osnay Colina thanked South Africa for its support of Cuba in its fight against the US blockade, while Irma González thanked South Africa for its contribution to free the Cuban Five, as Cuba once did in Nelson Mandela’s liberation struggle.

South African President Jacob Zuma expressed his satisfaction over the visit of the young Cuban delegation and highlighted Cuba’s example to other countries and said that Cuba’s patriotism is what makes the Revolution great and enduring.

Irma González presented Zuma with a painting of Mandela by Antonio Guerrero, to pass on to Nelson Mandela.
Also participating at the meeting were Cuban Ambassador to South Africa Ángel Villa, ANC General Secretary Gwede Mantashe, ANC Vice General Secretary Thandi Modise, ANC National Coordinator Baleka Mbete, and ANC Youth League President Julius Malema.

The delegation also met with antiapartheid fighter Winnie Mandela, who reiterated her support of the struggle to free the Cuban Five. The delegation is preparing to participate in the 98th anniversary of the ANC Internationally known as the Cuban Five, Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, Antonio Guerrero and René González were given harsh sentences ranging from 15 years to consecutive life terms plus 15 years in a trial plagued with irregularities and held in a highly biased Miami court.

The Cuban Five had been working to uncover information about terrorist activities being planned and carried out against Cuba by ultra-rightwing organizations based in southern Florida with a long record of terrorist actions against Cuba and the Cuban people. When they turned their information over to authorities they were arrested and have been in jail ever since.
A UN Working Group reviewing the case determined that the trial did not take place in a climate of objectivity and impartiality, which is required in order to conclude on the observance of the standards of a fair trial.