By Cyril Ramaphosa
We have just returned a successful visit to Southeast Asia, where we visited Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia. South Africa has long-standing relations with all three countries.
Our ties to Indonesia and Malaysia go back more than 300 years, when the Dutch East India Company brought people from what were then known as the Dutch East Indies to South Africa as slaves.
Together with political exiles, skilled artisans and religious scholars, these people formed what was to become the Cape Malay community. The descendants of these early arrivals remain an integral part of the South African people.
Alongside Indonesia and Malaysia, Vietnam was a firm supporter of the struggle against apartheid. Vietnam’s struggle for independence and self-determination was an inspiration to many South African freedom fighters.
As we recognise these strong historical ties, these visits have been firmly focused on the future. There is enormous
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