The President  The Vice President  Minister Yvan Gil  Ministers and Vice Ministers Present   Your Excellencies  Distinguished Guests  Ladies and Gentlemen  I am honoured to be part of such an auspicious occasion, the 30th Anniversary of the Diplomatic Relations between South Africa and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. This is a unique opportunity for me, personally, to also commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the passing of the international icon and the symbol of the South African revolution, former President Nelson Mandela.   These are two distinct events but remained linked. Venezuela and South Africa established official diplomatic relations on 3 December 1993,