De Lille: SA Nobel Peace summit suspended

Cape Town - The 14th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates due to be held in Cape Town will be suspended, Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille said on Thursday.

De Lille told journalists at the Civic Centre the permanent secretariat of World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates was considering relocating the event.

"The primary reason for the relocation is the fact that the South African government has refused to allow his holiness the Dalai Lama a visa to attend," De Lille said.

SA Government has showed that they are more intent on pleasing Beijing than ensuring that a prestigious international event is held in SA.

— City of CT Mayor (@CityofCTMayor) October 2, 2014

Last month, 14 Nobel laureates wrote to President Jacob Zuma asking that a South African travel visa be granted to the Dalai Lama. This was the third time in five years he could not secure a visa to enter South Africa.

We are deeply angry and greatly disappointed that Cape Town will no longer be able to host the event.

— City of CT Mayor (@CityofCTMayor) October 2, 201

We have also lost an economic opportunity of approximately R60 million, through visitor spend and the value of the international exposure.

— City of CT Mayor (@CityofCTMayor) October 2, 2014

At the time the international relations department said the Dalai Lama's visa application was a closed matter, and that he had cancelled his trip.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu on Wednesday criticised the government for allegedly refusing a visa to the Tibetan spiritual leader.

"I am ashamed to call this lickspittle bunch my government," he said in a statement.