By Benjamin Wickham
PRETORIA, April 21 — President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa of South Africa welcomed his brother President Hage Geingob of Namibia on a state visit to strengthen the bonds of solidarity between their two countries. Thirty-three years ago, the two leaders could not have imagined that they would join hands in a free and non-racial South Africa.
Their camaraderie was forged during the war of liberation for the emancipation of both South Africa and Namibia. As freedom fighters, they walked hand in hand and worked side by side in different capitals of Africa and around the world to end apartheid in their two sister countries. The bonds of solidarity between their two nations were etched in sweat and blood, in their collective history of struggle and triumph against the brutality of apartheid.
President Geingob expressed his gratitude for the invitation and honour of a state visit from his dear brother, President Ramaphosa. He acknowledged that his term as President of Namibia is coming to an end in 22 months’ time, and he was confident that the visit would add another chapter to the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries.
Both Presidents expressed their commitment to fighting for socioeconomic justice for their people. Namibia, like South Africa, is a young nation, going through the trials and tribulations of maturing constitutional democracies. While fundamental rights are guaranteed in their constitutions, including property rights, freedom of movement, association, and expression, including that of the media, all freedoms come with responsibility and accountability.
Namibia went through a global commodity crisis, the worst droughts ever recorded in its history, and the devastation of Covid-19, which took the lives of many of its citizens and contracted the economy. However, during that difficult period, Namibians stood together as one nation and one people and were able to protect the most vulnerable sections of their population.
Namibia has identified new engines of economic growth, including the Green Hydrogen and Ammonia Industry in three regions of the country, and the discovery of hydrocarbons not far from South Africa in the Orange basin. These present opportunities for collaboration between their governments and the private sector in the oil and gas sectors.
In conclusion, the South Africa of today is not the same South Africa of 1994, and the Namibia of today is equally worlds apart from the badly governed apartheid Namibia they inherited in 1990. As they marshal their nations in this new dawn of hope and promise, they cannot take for granted the honour of following in the giant footsteps of Chief Albert Luthuli, Oliver Reginald Kaisana Tambo, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, Kaptein Hendrik Witbooi, Chief Hosea Kutako, Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma, and many others. – Namibia Daily News
