<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;">External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj begin her five-day visit to South Africa today where she will meet the top leadership of the country. Her visit will further strengthen the close and long-standing ties with South Africa.</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;"><br />''</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;"> In a tweet, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, the Minister will participate in the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting tomorrow and chair the IBSA Foreign Ministers Meeting during her visit. </div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;"></div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;">Mrs Swaraj made a transit halt in Mauritius yesterday to meet Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, on her way to South Africa. In a tweet, MEA spokesperson said enhancing the ties between India and Mauritius was the focus of the meeting. </div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;"></div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;">During her stay in South Africa, Mrs Swaraj will visit the Phoenix Settlement, a South African Heritage site, marking the place that served as Mahatma Gandhiji's home. This is the place where Gandhiji developed his philosophy of non-violence. Mrs Swaraj will also participate in a series of events on June 6-7, at Pietermaritzburg, to commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the historic incident in the train compartment that became a catalyst for Gandhiji's Satyagraha movement. </div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;"></div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;">The year 2018 is an important year for India-South Africa relations as it marks the 25 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the 125th anniversary of the Pietermaritzburg railway station incident and the 100th Birth Centenary of South African iconic leader, Nelson Mandela.</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;"><br />''</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;"> India and South Africa enjoy close and friendly relations which are rooted in our history and the values of south-south cooperation. </div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />