State Visit to the Republic of South Africa - Day 3

During the ceremony, the Governor General inspected the guard of honour and received a 21-gun salute.

At the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, His Excellency delivered a speech on Canada and South Africa relations to students, faculty staff and academics.

A discussion with the audience followed.

During Her Excellency’s tour, she heard about the work that Canada has supported through the South African Department of Treasury and the National Biodiversity Institute, in such areas as leadership development and change management.

Her Excellency and Mrs. Bongi Ngema-Zuma visited the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which are dedicated to preserving the fynbos genus of plants. The genus is unique to the Western Cape, yet contains one of the greatest number of plant species in the world.

During the luncheon, Her Excellency had the chance to speak with the President.

"I had the opportunity to talk with Africans working at the fishing ports, for instance, where Canadians have lent their expertise," said His Excellency. "This enabled South Africans to learn new ways of managing and conserving fish stocks. The exchange of ideas across borders was the impetus for change, which itself led to more economic success for the region. Economic success can then lead to the potential for increased trade between our nations, building on the well over one billion dollars in bilateral trade our countries engage in every year."

On the occasion of Their Excellencies’ visit to the country, the President of the Republic of South Africa hosted a State luncheon. The Governor General and the President both delivered remarks.

Following their meeting, the Governor General and the President delivered a joint statement and answered questions from members of the media.

During the courtesy call, Their Excellencies met with the President and his spouse, Mrs. Bongi Ngema-Zuma. They discussed the progress made in South Africa since the end of apartheid to build a democratic and inclusive society.

This is the second visit by a governor general in South Africa. The first visit was conducted by the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, 27th governor general of Canada, in 2006.

During their time together, the Governor General and the President spoke about the potential for increasing ties between Canada and South Africa in business, investment and, particularly, international education and science co-operation.

Their Excellencies were officially welcomed by His Excellency Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, President of the Republic of South Africa.

This event was organized in conjunction with the University and the South African Institute of International Affairs.