South African Ambassador to the Philippines, HE Radebe-Netshitenzhe, cordially invites you to the Freedom Day reception and Celebrating 30Yrs SA-PH bilateral and diplomatic relations. Both countries entered formal relations on November 1993, making a new era of mutual respect and cooperation.
In 1993 South Africa, which had just adopted an interim Constitution, was on a transition phase to usher in democratic changes. In 1994 April, majority of South Africa voted for the first time, ending the colonial and Apartheid rule, a system predicated on racialism and exclusions based on colour, race, sexual identity, culture, religion etcetera.
Before 1993, the Philippines did not have any diplomatic and bilateral relations with South Africa due to the former’s policy of Apartheid and racialism. The Philippines adopted a principled position and supported liberation forces then and constitutionalism in the new South Africa.
It is against this backdrop that 30yrs of bilateral relations are celebrated in a yearlong programme that starts on April 26 at Hyatt Hotel, BGC.