A United States embassy official received a scroll giving the freedom of Cape Town to US president Barack Obama and his wife.
|||Cape Town - A United States embassy official received a scroll on Friday giving the freedom of Cape Town to US president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, Mayor Patricia de Lille said.
She said the decision to award the freedom of the city to the Obamas was adopted by a majority vote in council last year.
“(It ) is the highest honour that the city of Cape Town can confer on individuals who have made a significant contribution to Cape Town, South Africa, and the world in their respective fields.”
The scroll was accepted earlier on Friday by acting US ambassador Virginia Palmer.
De Lille said the Obamas had already accepted the honour and the only “outstanding issue” was to conduct the handover of the scroll.
The African National Congress in the province said at the time that the presidential couple should not accept the award.
“To us this is nothing other than a diversion and I think it would be a pity if Obama accepted the award from a city that doesn't care about the poorest of the poor,” ANC secretary Songezo Mjongile told the Cape Times at the time.
The Democratic Alliance, which leads the city, hit back at the accusation.
“The facts show that the DA-led city of Cape Town delivers better quality services to more poor people than any other metro in South Africa,” DA spokesman Mmusi Maimane said.
“The city of Cape Town offers the most comprehensive and generous package of free basic services to indigent residents of any metro in the country. This is a fact.”
De Lille said on Friday that Michelle Obama travelled to Cape Town last year as part of a broader outreach to Africa and had brought with her the “uplifting example of achieving the extraordinary”.
She said they were both worthy recipients for the “inspiration” they had been to the world.
“It is my hope that their example will forever be a reminder that where there is hope and perseverance, and where we are fuelled by the courage of our convictions, even the unimaginable is doable.” - Sapa