Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has called on Mozambique to fight poverty and underdevelopment with the same spirit of determination employed when countries were raging battles against colonialism and apartheid.
"Today's fight is no longer about national liberation, which we obtained. Today's fight has assumed a different dimension. The fight is now against destitution, poverty, underdevelopment, with the ultimate aim to attain economic and developmental emancipation of all our peoples.
"This struggle is proving to be more difficult than we thought. It requires of us to work together in the same manner we did during the fight against colonialism and apartheid," Zuma told the Parliament of Mozambique on Wednesday.
He said the two countries ought to look at new prospects to uplift the lives of ordinary citizens.
"I call upon both our private sectors to identify major investment opportunities for Mozambican companies in South Africa, share knowledge, expertise and technological know-how with each other and identify joint partnerships and joint ventures for the benefit of our people to enjoy a better life."
Already the two countries are partnering in several areas, including trade and investment, energy, mining, agriculture, communications, water, environmental affairs, arts and culture as well as science and technology.
They have also partnered in science with the bidding for the SKA telescope as well as cross-border crime, maritime piracy, human trafficking and rhino poaching.
"We encourage our security agents to work together in dealing with the scourge of rhino poaching in our countries. I believe that our joint efforts in dealing with the scourge of rhino poaching will slowly but surely deliver desired results," said Zuma.
Describing Maputo as his second home, as he spent a significant number of years in exile there, Zuma paid tribute to the people of Mozambique for the solidarity they showed to the people of South Africa.
"The people of Mozambique faced hardships while supporting their South African brothers and sisters who were fighting the apartheid monster. They, however, soldiered on and the people of South Africa will never forget what this country sacrificed for South Africa to be free."
