The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) joins the global community in marking and celebrating the Centenary of Fidel Castro’s legendary life. 

El Commandate Fidel Castro was born on 13 August 1926 in Biran in the Orente Province of Cuba. He went on to study law at the University of Havana in 1945, where he became politically conscious and organised students towards revolutionary causes. 

On 26 July 1953, Castro led a liberation struggle and guerilla campaign against the Cuban dictator, Fulgencio Batista, with the historic Moncada military barracks in Santiago de Cuba. Following the attack, he was arrested. During the trial, he conducted an impassioned defence but was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment. 

On his release, he went to exile in Mexico and organised Cuban exiles into a revolutionary movement, now popularly known as the 26th of July movement. December 2, 1956, saw Castro leading an armed expedition of 81 men, which landed on the eastern coast of Cuba on the yacht, Granma. However, they suffered losses, which led Castro and Che Guevara to retreat to Sierra Maestro. It was from there that they led sustained attacks that eventually resulted in sustained victories resulting in Batista’s forces fleeing the country on 1 January 1959. 

The world hasn’t been the same since the victory of the Cuban revolution. The global anti-colonial movement received concrete internationalist solidarity, particularly in the Global South. From military training to doctors, nurses, engineers and other technical support for liberation movements and newly liberated countries. 

On the African continent, Algeria, Angola, Namibia and our own struggle against apartheid are prime examples of Cuban internationalism and unflinching solidarity.

The historic defeat of the SADF in Angola at Cuito Cuanavale was a decisive turning point for the eventual defeat of apartheid and colonialism in Namibia and South Africa. 

The historic words of Fidel Castro, “the history of Africa shall be written before and after Cuito Cuanavale”, became a crucial turning point in the Southern African region. 

This gave further impetus to our mass struggle, the armed struggle and global sanctions against apartheid, whose final result was the eventual release of former President Mandela and the 1994 democratic breakthrough. 

We shall forever cherish the massive contribution of the people of Cuba in our own struggles and remain inspired to advance these finest and internationalist traditions as we advance our own NDR and struggle for socialism.

This is even more critical in the era of heightened imperialist wars of aggression, conquest and subjugation. 

Our internationalism is being tested, and we dare not fail the cause of prolentarian internationalism, because only through working class internationalism, shall the class conquer power for itself and in the interest of all humanity. 

Issued by COSATU 

Zanele Sabela (COSATU Spokesperson)

Mobile: 079 287 5788 / 077 600 6639

Email: zaneles@cosatu.org.za