By DPA
Johannesburg : Congress president Sonia Gandhi met South African President Thabo Mbeki in Cape Town Wednesday, the second day of her trip to South Africa.
Gandhi was accompanied by India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma in a visit to “strengthen and consolidate political, economic, trade and cultural relations between the peoples of South Africa and India”.
South Africa and India regard themselves as strategic partners for development but also with reference to their historical ties.
Earlier Wednesday Gandhi met South Africa’s first democratically elected president Nelson Mandela, saying she was honoured to be meeting the man who had led the campaign against white Apartheid rule.
“It is a privilege, a visit to South Africa wouldn’t be complete without calling on Madiba (Mandela),” SAPA reported Gandhi as saying.
She presented the frail-looking Mandela with “The Gandhian Way”, a book based on the principles and values of Mahatma Gandhi, who lived in Durban for many years.
Italian-born Sonia is the widow of former Indian premier Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated in 1991. The Congress Party has dominated Indian politics since independence from Britain 60 years ago.
Former Robben Island prisoner Ahmed Kathrada also met Gandhi, according to the SAPA report.
Kathrada said it was an honour to be in the presence of Gandhi and that her visit reminded him of her husband Rajiv, who had been opposed to South Africa’s apartheid regime.
“Sonia Gandhi’s significant presence gives us the opportunity to recall the assassination with sadness… but it also gives us an opportunity to salute a prominent Indian leader,” Kathrada said.
“It is a privilege and blessing to be in the presence of people who believe in human dignity and freedom,” Sharma said.
“Mandela is a hero of our people, we would like to convey our gratitude and appreciation.”
Gandhi is also scheduled to attend a gala dinner and the dedication of a women’s job fund later Wednesday.
On Thursday at the University of Cape Town, she is to give a speech, which is to launch a worldwide series of speeches, in which she is to discuss the significance of Mahatma Gandhi and the importance of his vision of non-violence in today’s world.
Her speech would “mark the 100th year of the Satyagraha (non-violence and peace) movement”, she said.