SOUTH AFRICAN President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed a delegation from Western Sahara to Pretoria yesterday, pledging support for their struggle for independence from Morocco.

He said the talks on regional, continental and international peace and security challenges, including reform of institutions including the United Nations security council, had deepened the relationship between the two countries.

Western Sahara is known as “the last colony in Africa” and has been occupied by neighbouring Morocco since 1975. The Polisario Front has led a war for independence for the territory and its indigenous Sahrawi people.

The South African president reaffirmed the country’s “solidarity with the Sahrawi people in their struggle for self-determination and independence.” 

Mr Ramaphosa said the triumph of the South African people showed that “no system, no matter how oppressive, can forever deny the desire of a people to be free. “

“We are certain that the people of Western Sahara will soon be free,” he added.