Toast remarks by Hon. Kenny Morolong, MP Deputy Minister in The Presidency on the occasion of the 215th Anniversary of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Pretoria, South Africa
Ambassador ;of the Bolivarian ; Republic ;of ;Venezuela, HE Mr Carlos Feo Acevedo
Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, the Ambassador of Eritrea,
H.E. Mr Salih Omar Abdu;
|Dean of the GRULAC Group, the Ambassador of Paraguay,
H.E. Mr Juan Ignacio Livieres Ocampos;
Your Excellencies, Ambassadors and High Commissioners Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Distinguished Guests, Friends of Venezuela, Ladies and Gentlemen Good Morning,
It is my singular honour, on behalf of the President, the Government and the people of South Africa, to extend our sisterly and fraternal greetings on this auspicious occasion of the 215th Anniversary of the Independence Day of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Today we gather not merely to mark a national day, but to honour a history that speaks across oceans.
We gather as we do, to mark Venezuela’s long struggle for sovereignty, independence and Bolivarian self-determination, and South Africa’s own journey from colonial dispossession and apartheid oppression to freedom, democracy and constitutionalism.
Though our two nations emerged from different continents and distinct historical circumstances, our peoples know intimately the meaning of dignity denied, sovereignty contested, and freedom defended.
Venezuela’s independence tradition, inspired by Simón Bolívar’s vision of continental emancipation, and South Africa’s liberation struggle, carried forward by generations of freedom fighters and given democratic expression through Nelson Mandela and our Constitution, are united by a common insistence that nations must be free to determine their own destiny.
In this era of heightened geopolitical contestation, shifting centres of power, economic coercion, and renewed debates about the shape of global governance, the relationship between South Africa and Venezuela assumes strategic significance.
Our partnership is anchored in the conviction that the international system must be based on sovereign equality, respect for international law, multilateralism, non-interference, and the right of all peoples to development.
It is for this reason that our cooperation in the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the G77 plus China, and other platforms of the Global South remains indispensable.
South Africa and Venezuela are bound not only by memory, but by purpose.
We share values of solidarity, human dignity, social justice, anti-colonialism, anti-racism, and a firm belief in a more democratic, equitable and multipolar world.
As nations of the Global South, endowed with abundant human and natural resources, we have a shared responsibility to convert our political solidarity into practical cooperation, economic partnership, cultural exchange and a future of mutual prosperity for both our peoples.
It is indeed an honour to convey to Her Excellency, the Acting President Ms Delcy Rodriguez, the Government and people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the heartfelt congratulations of the Government and people of South Africa on the celebration of your Day of Independence.
These heartfelt congratulations cannot be overemphasised, especially during these trying times in the political life of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Distinguished Guests, as we congregate here today, our hearts and minds are with the people of Venezuela, who are enduring the aftermath of the earthquakes that hit Venezuela on 24 June 2026.
The Government and we the people of South Africa extend our sincere and profound condolences to the Government and people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
These recent earthquakes have caused tremendous loss of life and widespread destruction, and we are profoundly saddened by the suffering endured by countless Venezuelan families.
Your Excellency, please note that South Africa stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Venezuela at this difficult time as the effects of the catastrophic earthquakes continue to unfold.
The hardships of the Venezuelan people are carried in our hearts and prayers.
Ladies and Gentlemen, a mere 12 days from this day of the 215th Anniversary of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela all the United Nations of the world will be observing Nelson Mandela international Day.
This the period during which the international community celebrate the life, legacy and values of the first President of a democratic South Africa.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Nelson Mandela dedicated his life to freedom and emancipation as opposed to oppression.
To self-determination and independence as opposed to imperialism and colonialism.
To justice and equality of human beings as opposed to domination and injustice.
To unbridled freedom of human spirit as opposed to imprisonment and chains.
To the sanctity of the United Nations Charter that guarantees sovereignty of nations as opposed to a chaotic world that rewards survival of the fittest.
It is my considered opinion that the heroes of Venezuela like Simon Bolivar, Hugo Chavez and many others espoused similar values.
These ladies and gentlemen are the basis of our enduring bonds of political solidarity.
Your Excellencies and Distinguished Guests, speaking about the situation in the Middle East, Nelson Mandela once observed ‘We know too well that our own freedom is incomplete without the freedom of people of Palestine.
This perhaps constitutes the cornerstone of South Africa’s Human Rights based Foreign Policy.
If I may paraphrase Nelson Mandela as the South African government, we regard our own freedom as
incomplete for as long as there are human rights violations and curtailment of self-determination of people, be it in Venezuela, Palestine, Western Sahara, Sudan, Cuba and elsewhere!
Your Excellencies and Distinguished Guests, in 2026, South Africa celebrates 32 years of freedom and democracy and commemorate 30 years since the adoption of our Constitution in 1996.
That the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela which celebrates 215 years of Independence should be under pressure from the prevailing geopolitical challenges of the day, cautions all of us against complacency.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the prevailing geopolitical challenges compel us to rededicate and redouble our efforts to multilateral and South - South Co-operation and other collective measures that guarantee our continued survival as singular and collective state entities.
We need to continue to support each other through advocacy in the United Nations and the other international fora of the Global South such as Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), G77 plus China etc.
Programme Director, as South Africa and Venezuela are both endowed with mineral glut, therefore there are synergies and opportunities for co-operation in this regard.
In Venezuela we see a potential economic strategic partner.
We therefore earnestly need to encourage mutual beneficial cooperation in the economic sector.
More especially in technical expertise, beneficiation, capital equipment and deep earth mining – given South Africa’s expertise in some of these areas.
So, there are teeming opportunities for trade and economic co-operation.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, in fact, the South Africa - Venezuela Joint Consultative Commission holds great promise for sectorial co-operation, that spans beyond the mining sector we mentioned above.
Our two countries should increase co-operation in areas including agriculture, energy, science, and technology,
indeed trade and investment, arts, culture and the creative industries, sport, health industries and pharmaceuticals, and education and defence sectors.
Programme director, on behalf of the President, Government and people of South Africa, let me once more: extend our best wishes to His Excellency, Ambassador Carlos Feo and his Spouse, the Government and people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
We wish to convey South Africa’s commitment to the strengthening of relations between our two countries and their peoples.
Thank you.
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