My trip to Taipei was never political: Msimanga

Executive mayor of Tshwane, Solly Msimanga. Picture: Thobile Mathonsi/Pretoria News

Executive mayor of Tshwane, Solly Msimanga. Picture: Thobile Mathonsi/Pretoria News

Published Jan 11, 2017

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Pretoria - "Yes I've been to Taipei. Yes I enjoyed Taipei and no I don't regret Taipei."

These were the opening remarks by Tshwane executive mayor Solly Msimanga during a briefing at his Centurion offices to provide update on developments over the festive season.

"My trip to Taipei was never political, and should not have been turned into political football. My trip was at the invitation of the mayor of Taipei. We informed Department of International Relations and Cooperation of the invitation (Dirco).

"And at no point did the department ever say we cannot go. They even issued a note verbale on what SA expects of visit," said Msimanga.

Msimanga said Dirco only intervened at the airport five minutes before they departed. "I receive a call from spokesman asking if I had boarded already," he said.

Msimanga said what was funny is that SA’s Taipei liaison was waiting for them when they arrived. "So obviously Dirco organised with them," he said.

The mayor stressed that the trip had nothing to do trip had nothing with One China Policy and was about city administration.

"We met with investors willing to invest in Tshwane. I stayed away from politics because knew it was sensitive matter, " he added.

Pretoria News

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