President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa Tuesday thanked British Prime Minister Theresa May for handing over the bell of a World War I ship on which over 600 black South African troops perished when it sunk in 1917.
“We were extremely honoured to have been presented with the ship’s bell of the SS Mendi,” Ramaphosa said at the close of May’s visit to the former British colony.
The gesture “honours the memory and the sacrifices of all those who perished so far away from their homes and loved ones,” he added.
May’s trade trip to South Africa – which will be followed by stops in Kenya and Nigeria – comes as Britain seeks to shore up trade partners ahead of their exit next year from the European Union.
“Both our countries have identified key sectors for investment to boost economic growth and development,” Ramaphosa said after meeting with May.
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