AfriForum threatens legal action over R50m Cuba aid

Lobby group AfriForum has threatened to take the government to court over its plan to donate R50m to the Cuban government to alleviate food insecurity in that country.

The group said it sent a lawyer’s letter to the department of international relations and co-operation demanding reasons for the donation, but was not satisfied with its response. 

“AfriForum insisted no funds be transferred to Cuba since no reasons for this decision have been communicated to the public. The organisation also demanded an explanation of where the money for this donation comes from and how it can be justified in SA’s current socioeconomic context,” it said.

“The government responded to AfriForum’s letter, but the organisation is not satisfied with the reasons provided and will proceed with legal action,” said AfriForum. 

Deputy minister of international relations and co-operation Alvin Botes told a parliamentary portfolio committee last month the donation would help with food security in Cuba which is subject to US sanctions.

But a coalition of community-based organisations launched a petition, saying the donation to Cuba was unjustified considering the millions of impoverished South Africans.

“The coalition believes the donation of R50m to a foreign country on the basis of international relations is a gross misallocation of funds, at best,” it said.

The petition has garnered more than 17,000 signatures to date.

Most of the respondents in a TimesLIVE poll (81%) said SA was “broke and needed the money”.