First Full Day in South Africa

(Left to right) CBCF President Elsie L. Scott, Ph.D., U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, South African Minister of Social Development Zola Sidney Skweyiya, U.S. Rep. Donna Christensen and U.S. Ambassador Eric M. Bost

We have completed our first full day in South Africa. It was a long, but productive day that started out with a breakfast meeting in Pretoria with the South African Minister of Social Development, Dr. Zola Skweyiya. He is responsible for the social welfare programs for the country.

That meeting was followed by a briefing at the U.S. Embassy that was led by Ambassador Eric M. Bost and attended by about 12 members of his staff. We talked about the work the United States is doing to help the development of South Africa. As a result of the discussion, we have identified several areas around which we can collaborate or they can assist us with our work.

We then went to Soweto, where we visited the Burn Centre and HIVSA at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital Center, the largest hospital in South Africa. This center is government owned, but financed by Johnson & Johnson. In the afternoon, we met with some students and volunteers at the Rosa Parks Library. This library was donated by the U.S. government. The students were quite outspoken about the AIDS epidemic and what should be done to address it.

In the evening, the Ambassador opened his residence to a reception hosted by CBCF. We had the opportunity to speak further with State Department personnel about their work and to meet African Americans and South Africans who have invested in the new South Africa.

We have been impressed with the commitment and the work being done here. They are very interested in having the Foundation bring a legislative conference to South Africa.

It is 11 p.m., and after a full day of meetings and knowing that we have to be ready to leave the hotel at 6:30 a.m tomorrow, I am going to sign off.

Elsie L. Scott, Ph.D.
President & CEO
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Inc.