Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana and his Cuban counterpart Alfredo Morales Cartaya have signed a memorandum of understanding focusing on employment, social security and occupational health and safety.
The agreement, signed on Monday, made provision for the exchange of experts in these fields between the two countries, Mdladlana’s office said in a statement on Tuesday.
It said that the way in which Cubans have survived the United States blockade, which has prevented trade with the US from 1961, provided South Africa with valuable lessons.
”Despite this blockade Cuba has grown tourism from one million visitors to Havana to over 1,9-million, which has also resulted in more jobs being created, especially for young people,” Mdladlana said.
He said he was particularly interested in the Cuban programme whereby social workers had been dispatched by the government to villages throughout the country to assist people to access social services. He said this was similar to President Thabo Mbeki’s proposals on development workers.
Cartaya, whose portfolio includes social services, said a team of Cuban experts were already in South Africa providing South Africans with information on their own experiences.
The agreement also allows for the development of joint projects, the exchange of technological information, advice on the drafting of legislation and regulations and skills development for vulnerable groups. – Sapa