The rally was held in the city of Bloemfontein, South Africa’s judicial capital, and was attended by the general secretary of the African National Congress (ANC), Ace Magashule; the general secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), Zingiswa Losi; and the Parliament’s deputy speaker and a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of South Africa, Lechesa Tsenoli.

Other participants were representatives of Cuba’s medical cooperation brigade in the province, the Association of South African Graduates in Cuba, the Solidarity Society, Cuban Ambassador Rodolfo Benitez, members of the Cuban diplomatic mission and Cuban collaborators in the education, hydric resources, construction and military sectors.

The ANC general secretary noted that Fidel Castro is a legendary figure who developed a great friendly and humanistic society.

Today we recall the two years since the death of an honest, revolutionary, sincere man who devoted his life to humankind’s dignity and peace, said Magashule, who described Fidel Castro as an immortal giant who represents hope for the poor.

For her part, the COSATU leader pointed out that Fidel Castro demonstrated that another world is possible and set an example of humanity, sacrifice, solidarity, strength, fidelity and discipline.

She referred to Cubans’ resistance for nearly 60 years against the economic, commercial and financial blockade by the United States and the negative impact of those punitive measures.

National Parliament Deputy Speaker Tsenoli underlined that Cuba is always ready when other nations need doctors, engineers, professors or soldiers, ‘because that country shares what it has’.

Dr. Ariel Torres, the coordinator of Cuban physicians who have rendered their services in Free State province for more than 20 years, referred to the major work being done by Cuban doctors, many of whom work in rural areas. He added that they represent Cuba’s support for the African continent.

Engineer Ntathu Cynthia Ndaba, vice president of the Association of South African Graduates in Cuba, highlighted what her country owes to Cuba and Fidel Castro, who was always beside her nation at the most difficult times.

At the end of the rally, Ambassador Benitez said that it was a day to celebrate Fidel’s life, and pointed out that the revolutionary leader has not died, because his ideas remain, because the struggle for a better world does not stop…

The diplomat underlined that the battle for social justice has no boundaries, and solidarity with other needy peoples of the world should be an essential quality of any revolutionary.

Benitez referred to Fidel’s permanent teaching about ‘how to live with dignity, how to raise our voices against injustice and discrimination and never rest’.

He assured that the Cuban Revolution will continue to defend its principles and that resistance is an attribute of the Cuban people, ‘who will never give in the construction of a sovereign, independent and socialist nation’.

We will never allow our country to be a colony of any empire, we will not divert from the path we have chosen, said the ambassador, who noted that Fidel’s ideas and example will live forever.

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