Your Excellency; Vice President Johan Dramani Mahama;
Ministers and Members of Parliament;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Esteemed guests;
Ladies and gentlemen:
Allow me to take this opportunity to express my gratitude, and that of my delegation, for the invitation to your beautiful country and the warm welcome we have been accorded since our arrival.
May I also take this opportunity to extend well wishes, on behalf of our President, Mr Jacob Zuma, for the good health to H.E. President John Evans Atta Mills.
The reception we have received is indicative of the warm and solid fraternal relations that exist between our countries.
These long established relations, which will invariably guide our deliberations during this working visit, are anchored on the foundations established long ago through our common struggles to free Africa from racial oppression, colonialisation and imperialism.
Indeed, for us as Africans, Ghana remains a special place because the seeds for African freedom geminated on Ghanaian soil, nourished by the struggles for independence in the developing world such as India and Burma.
We can never forget the contributions by one of the most revered sons of Ghana and the architect of African unity Dr Kwame Nkrumah towards this struggle.
His legacy informs our work and struggles today which we hope will ultimately lead to the realisation of our aspirations to make the 21st century the African century.
Riding on this wave of Nkrumah’s legacy, and that of many other African contemporaries such Frans Fanon, we are pleased that Ghana continues to play a critical role in peacekeeping and in upholding good governance in Africa.
In this respect, we hope that our countries will continue to cooperate in addressing the challenges within our respective regions, on the continent and also in the international arena.
At an official bilateral level, I am pleased that there is concrete work underway aimed at implementing the agreements that were signed last year.
With these few words, Your Excellency, I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate the people of the Republic of Ghana on celebrating the 55th Anniversary of Independence and further to assure you of South Africa’s support and loyal friendship.
As one of the African countries holding elections this year, we look up to your excellent track record and good governance in holding free and fair elections. We hope your country will once again serve as a shining example of democratic change.
Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a toast for the good health of President John Evans Atta Mills and the prosperity of the people of Ghana and to the good relations between Ghana and South Africa.
Medase (I thank you).
Toast remarks by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe on the occasion of the working visit to the Republic of Ghana
