SA ambassador bids farewell

to Vice President John Landa Nkomo at his Munhumutapa Offices in Harare after completing his tenure.
Ambassador Makhalima has been South Africa’s chief diplomat to Zimbabwe for the past five years and is heading back to Pretoria.
It is believed Ambassador Makhalima is going to be replaced by Mr Vusi Mavimbela who is the director-general in South Africa’s Presidency.
Mr Mavimbela has worked as secretary for education in the ANC Youth League and political advisor in the Office of former President Thabo Mbeki.
He also worked as the director-general of the National Intelligence Agency before he was promoted to the post of director-general in the Presidency.
Speaking to journalists after meeting VP Nkomo, the outgoing South African ambassador said relations between Harare and Pretoria had grown stronger during his term of office.
He said the two countries had signed nume-rous bilateral agreements to cement the already existing cordial relations.
“I have come here primarily to say goodbye to the Vice President and thank him for the warmth I have received in the country and the friendship I have build over the time I have been here.
“Of course, we reflected on what we have achieved during my stay here.
“We have made tremendous strides and we have our Joint Commission on Economic Co-operation working very good and we also have another bilateral agreement on Defence and Security,” he said.
Ambassador Makhalima said the two countries also signed another bilateral agreement on investment promotion to boost trading relations.