Deputy President Mashatile says South Africa govt fully supports yoga

Johannesburg, Jun 25 (PTI) South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile has hailed the Consulate General of India in Johannesburg for setting a record for the continent of Africa as over 6,000 enthusiasts filled the grounds of the iconic Wanderers Stadium here to participate in a yoga session.

The yoga session was held in the South African city on Saturday as part of International Yoga Day, which is celebrated around the world on June 21.

Amid loud applause from thousands of participants sitting on their colourful yoga mats, Mashatile said the South African government fully supported yoga.

He hailed Consul General Kumar and his team for having worked hard to bring together different communities to participate in the yoga session.

“We are going to continue to support this event with the Consul General and others. Our relationship with India dates back to the time of Mahatma Gandhi when he started his (Satyagraha) movement here in South Africa more than a century ago in 1893. So we have a very good relationship with India. We continue to have that relationship,” the Deputy President said.

Describing Mashatile as “a great friend of India”, Kumar said the Deputy President represented the aspirations of the new South Africa.

“We wish him all the success on behalf of the Indian community. I assure you, Honourable Deputy President, that we will support every initiative that your government will take,” Kumar said.

“Due to the growing popularity of yoga, now the month of June has come to be known as a month of yoga,” Kumar said, adding that Saturday was chosen for the mass event to make it convenient for everyone to participate.

“Our celebration of today in Johannesburg, billed to be the largest such event in Africa, is very appropriate to mark the 30th anniversary of India-South Africa ties. It captures our imagination of together doing better, bigger and more impactful things,” Kumar said.

The yoga session was led by renowned yoga expert Maya Bhatt, originally from India.