Cuban Engineers Deployed To Impart Skills In Rural South Africa – Lindiwe Sisulu

South Africa is spending US$4.3 million for the services of 24 Cuban engineers deployed to help it navigate water and sanitation issues in the country’s rural communities, Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said on Friday

The funding will cover the engineers’ allowances, accommodation, goods and services, Sisulu said.

Sisulu said the deployment of the Cubans would beef up current skills in the rural areas caused by locals who shun the locations in favour of cities and proximity to their families.

“Very few of our own engineers would possibly opt to go work in the rural areas because they have families, and have preferences of where to work,” Sisulu said.

She added: “We suffer most (for service delivery) in the rural areas, and the Cuban engineers who have come here know that they are coming to a hardship situation.”

“They are coming to help us in the rural