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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 000122 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS USAID 
DEPT FOR AF, AF/S, EEB/TRA, INL/AAE, G/G/IWI, AND H 
ROME FOR TSA REP 
DAKAR FOR FAA REP 
FAA FOR NANCY ANGELA 
FAA FOR APT-1/AFS-50/AGC-7 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OREP EAIR PGOV PINR PREL SENV SF
SUBJECT: CODEL JOHNSON VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA, JANUARY 9-12, 2008 
 
REF: A) Pretoria 00001 
 
B)  Pretoria 00073 
C) Pretoria 00080 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: House Subcommittee on Water Resources and 
Infrastructure Chairman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) led a 
nine-member congressional delegation of the Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee (including one member from the Energy and 
Commerce Committee) on a fact-finding mission to South Africa 
January 9-12, 2008.  Post was able to organize four meetings for the 
morning of January 10, three of which were with ministers 
(Transport, Public Works, and Foreign Affairs), despite the 
challenges of local summer vacation and some political turmoil (Ref 
A).  The meeting with the Transport Minister marked the strong 
bilateral cooperation that helped avert a potential FAA downgrade in 
flight safety oversight standards (Ref B).  The fourth meeting was 
with the Director General of the Department of Water and Forestry. 
Ref C reported on the detailed discussion on bilateral issues and 
Africa policy with Minister of Foreign Affairs Dlamini-Zuma.  Areas 
of cooperation and follow-up mutually identified in the meetings 
include flight safety oversight and training, law enforcement, 
skills development, infrastructure, water management, women's 
programs, stability and foreign policy in Africa, and market 
access-trade.  In addition, the CODEL toured Robben Island in Cape 
Town, guided by fellow prisoner of Nelson Mandela and Robben Island 
Foundation CEO Ahmed (Kathy) Kathrada.  The CODEL also visited the 
Hector Peterson Memorial and Museum of the anti-apartheid struggle 
in Soweto.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
"Let's Strengthen CivAir Cooperation and Training" 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and seven 
members of the House of Representative's Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure called on Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe in 
Pretoria on January 10, accompanied by Ambassador and staff.  Radebe 
(also a former detainee on Robben Island) welcomed the delegation 
and thanked Congress for its support during the recent FAA 
International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) audit of the South 
African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), which reaffirmed its 
Category One status (Ref B).  The delegation discussed strengthening 
bilateral relations and increasing cooperation in the transportation 
sector.  Radebe identified training and policy development as 
potential areas for increased cooperation with the United States. 
He described on-going South African initiatives to prepare for the 
2010 FIFA World Cup.  According to Radebe, the Department of 
Transport (DOT) is considering projects to lower congestion and 
develop ports (including the Coega project, near Port Elizabeth in 
the Eastern Cape).  Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Costello 
(D-IL) expressed pleasure at the results of the FAA audit.  Costello 
described the results of the FAA audit as a move in a positive 
direction for South Africa and mentioned the technical assistance 
provided by the FAA.  Both Radebe and Ambassador recognized the 
Qprovided by the FAA.  Both Radebe and Ambassador recognized the 
strong cooperative relationship between the Embassy and the South 
African DOT.  The new SACAA CEO/Commissioner Colin Jordaan also 
joined the meeting and had the opportunity to discuss the SACAA's 
action plan with Representative Costello (Ref B). 
 
-------------------------------- 
"Universal Water Access by 2014" 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Department of Water and Forestry Director General Rampedi 
Moshibidi presented an overview of South Africa's water policy, 
which is focused on managing scarce water resources and assuring 
access to water for all its citizens.  Moshibidi said South Africa 
would achieve the Millennium Development Goal of universal water 
access by 2014, noting that currently over 50 per cent of the 
population had access.  Some of Moshibidi's accompanying experts 
presented details of South Africa's Water Resource Strategy, which 
seeks to ensure that water is used to support equitable and 
sustainable social and economic transformation and development, 
including provision of water services - potable water and safe 
sanitation - to all people, but especially the poor and previously 
disadvantaged.  South Africa is among the top 30 dry countries in 
 
PRETORIA 00000122  002 OF 003 
 
 
the world.  Due to skewed rainfall distributions, South Africa 
transfers water from the East to industrial areas and to/from its 
neighbors.  Regional water distribution occurs through SADC 
protocols.  Representative Johnson expressed a desire to begin 
multilateral discussions on water resources and hoped to have SAG 
support for such efforts.  Chairman Johnson thanked the Director 
General for the detailed presentation and expressed the desire to 
seek ways to cooperate and share best practices. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
"South Africa Works Because of Public Works" 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Minister of Public Works Thoko Didiza and her team of 
deputies received the CODEL and Ambassador for a brief but cordial 
courtesy meeting.  The Minister summarized some of the objectives of 
her Department, including addressing the skills gap, promoting 
economic development and good governance, and managing 
infrastructure and immoveable asset needs of the government.  Didiza 
called for greater collaboration with the USG on shared interests. 
Ambassador offered to have his staff follow up with meetings to 
identify potential areas of cooperation.  The Minister expressed a 
desire to incorporate lessons learned from the United States on 
infrastructure development/implementation of public works projects. 
She emphasized that while the DPW was not directly involved with 
transportation infrastructure development for the 2010 FIFA World 
Cup, it was still the department responsible for regulation of this 
construction. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
"We Need Greater Cooperation on African Issues" 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (ex-wife of new 
ANC President Jacob Zuma) and CODEL and Ambassador had a 
wide-ranging discussion of U.S./South Africa relations and other 
international issues in Pretoria's historic Union Building (More 
details in Ref C).  Representative Johnson stressed the importance 
of good relations between the U.S. and South Africa, citing the 
opportunity to engage in dialogue on ways to improve water quality 
and infrastructure in South Africa and Africa.  Dlamini-Zuma warned 
that failure of the North-South peace agreement could lead to the 
break-up of Sudan.  While praising UN peacekeeping in Darfur, she 
warned that peacekeeping could not be effective without a political 
settlement with buy-in from all important players.  The Minister 
noted that Kenya's recent election was problematic, but she blamed 
the turmoil there on deep ethnic divisions.  She commented that 
South Africa would follow the lead of the African Union on Kenya. 
South Africa wants to improve its economic relationship with China 
and seeks broader access to the U.S. market in order to diversify 
its exports. 
 
------------------- 
History and Culture 
------------------- 
 
 
¶6.  (U) The CODEL was interested in learning about and paying 
tribute to South Africa's culture and history, especially its long 
anti-apartheid struggle.  A highlight of the South Africa visit was 
Qanti-apartheid struggle.  A highlight of the South Africa visit was 
a day-trip to Cape Town to tour Robben Island, the notorious 
apartheid era prison where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated.  Hosted 
by Mandela's prison mate and Robben Island Foundation CEO Ahmed 
(Kathy) Kathrada, the Members visited Mandela's cell and presented a 
gift from the American Congress.  Kathrada lauded the strong support 
from American civil society in South Africa's anti-apartheid 
struggle, pointing out that the USG was unfortunately slower in 
providing support.  The CODEL visited an equally poignant site in 
Soweto, the Hector Peterson Memorial, which marks the site of the 
death of this youth in 1976, which precipitated the student 
rebellion and deaths that galvanized international support for the 
struggle. 
 
------------------------ 
COMMENT - Positive Vibes 
------------------------ 
 
PRETORIA 00000122  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The timing of this CODEL just two days after the delivery 
of the FAA notice that South Africa would retain its Category One 
status created a positive environment.  The reception of Minister of 
Transport Radebe in Washington by Secretary of Transportation Mary 
Peters, Deputy Secretary of Transportation Thomas Barrett, and 
Acting FAA Administrator Robert Sturgell last December also created 
a desire to respond in kind.  Finally, the vigorous efforts of the 
Department of Foreign Affairs, particularly Director: USA Fadl 
Nacerodien, helped to secure and coordinate a variety of 
departmental meetings and make this visit a strong positive 
contribution to the bilateral relationship.  Deputy Minister of 
Foreign Affairs Sue van der Merwe later sent a note to the CODEL to 
check on the status of the visit just prior to its departure. 
Nacerodien subsequently told Economic Counselor that he would send a 
report to their Embassy in Washington recommending that they follow 
up on this visit.  DOS and DOT should expect to hear from the South 
African Embassy in the near future.  Specific areas of cooperation 
and follow-up mutually identified in the meetings include flight 
safety oversight and training, law enforcement, skills development, 
infrastructure, water management, women's programs, stability and 
foreign policy in Africa, and market access-trade. 
 
¶8.  (U) This cable was read and approved by CODEL Johnson. 
 
BOST