AfriForum, which describes itself as a civil rights organisation, on Wednesday welcomed a South African court ruling upholding a ban barring President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government from donating funds to Cuba.
The High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday dismissed with costs the government’s leave to appeal an earlier ruling involving a US$3,333 donation to Cuba.
AfriForum opposed the appeal, arguing that it was the court’s responsibility to ensure the government acted within the law and that the money should be used to benefit the citizens of South Africa.
“We are very happy with the judgment — and the ruling has been upheld,” AfriForum campaign officer Reiner Duvenage said.
He said AfriForum believes that the appeal by the state shows “how desperate the government is to squander this much-needed tax money that could have been used to benefit its citizens in this country.”
NM/jn/APA