Mahatma Gandhi an integral part of South Africa: Minister

Gandhinagar, Jan 7: Mahatma Gandhi was an integral part of South Africa and the country shares an inseparable bond with India, South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane Wednesday told the Indian diaspora youth at the PBD here. Addressing a plenary session on "Gandhian Thought in Context of the 21st Century: A Youth Perspective" at the Mahatma Mandir complex as part of the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here, Mashabane said the youth of South Africa and India should take inspiration from the "battles" of Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi and defend the national interest of their country and be the best in science and technology. She said Mandela and Gandhi had "handed over the baton to us, and ours is to move on, defend the national interest of our country and be the best in science and technology". She said people should take inspiration from Gandhi's philosophy of satyagraha and that truth must prevail over all considerations of politics.