adminruling Chinese Communist Party, the Sunday Independent reported.
The visit has not been made public and ANC spokespeople could not be reached to confirm it yesterday.
According to the newspaper the 16-strong delegation included Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane. It was due to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is also general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.
It reportedly left last Tuesday and was due to return to South Africa on October 20.
The visit comes amid a furore over South Africa’s second failure in two years to allow the Dalai Lama into the country. Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader cancelled a planned visit to South Africa to attend Archbishop
Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s 80th birthday celebrations at the weekend after waiting in vain for a visa.
The two religious leaders resorted to a video link-up chat on Saturday, in which the Dalai Lama accused China’s rulers of hypocrisy and imposing “immoral” censorship on the country’s 1,3 billion people.
It is widely believed South African officials acted for fear of jeopardising growing economic ties with China. – SAPA.
Online Reporter