Acceptance Speech by His Excellency President of the Republic of South Africa, Dr Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma on the occasion of accepting the Freedom of the City of Maputo, December 13 2011
Your Lordship, the Mayor of the City of Maputo, Mr. David Simango;
Your Excellency, Governor of Maputo Province,
Ms. Lucilia Nota Hama;
Honourable Ministers here present;
Members of the Municipal Council of the City of Maputo;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Ladies and gentlemen;
I have always regarded myself as an honorary citizen of Maputo given that I spent a number of years here during our liberation struggle.
I could however, not have foreseen or dreamed that a day would come for me to be granted such an overwhelming honour. I sincerely thank you for such an overwhelming decoration, the Freedom of the City of Maputo, a city I love so dearly which was and still is, my second home.
I thank the people of Mozambique and the citizens of Maputo City in particular for this award.
As I accept this honour on behalf of the people of South Africa, I do so mindful of the fact that Mozambique for many of us was home away from home.