Strengthening ties between India and SA

THREE projects funded by the Government of India, including the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Information Technology at the Gandhi Settlement in Inanda, are to be inaugurated this week by the country’s Minister of State for External Affairs, General (Retd.) VK Singh.

A grant of over R1 million was given for the IT centre, which will provide youth from the local Inanda and Phoenix communities with an opportunity to gain an education.

A further grant of more than R1.25m was given to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Trust for the setting up of a Gandhi Memorial, at one of the historic sites acquired by Gandhi, during his stay in Durban.

The KZN provincial government also contributed approximately R1m for this project, which includes an exhibition to reflect the life and universal influence of Gandhi.

Another project was the new kitchen and dining facilities at Abalindi Home, Amatikwa in Inanda. The NPO provides support to the poor, aged, terminally ill, HIV/Aids patients and also has facilities like a crèche, orphanage and a skill development centre for youth.

Goodwill

As a gesture of goodwill, two made-in-India tractors worth R740 000 are to be given to King Goodwill Zwelithini.

“There is a mutual desire between India and KZN to have enhanced agricultural co-operation and to learn from the best practices of each other,” the Indian consulate in Durban said.

“The king has also been keen on agricultural co-operation and support from India for the welfare of agricultural sector of the region.”

King Zwelithini said he was “overwhelmed by the good gesture” of the Government of India.

“This historic gesture will be of service to my people in deep rural areas,” he said.

“South Africa and India partnership through Brics is gaining momentum. Today we stand proud to be associated with a country like India… Our bilateral relations between India and South Africa has clearly shown an interest in skills development, co-operation in agriculture, combating drought in South Africa, solar energy, strategies to combat HIV/Aids, rural women empowerment and livestock development, especially in KwaZulu-Natal.”

The king added he regarded Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his “brother”.