The minister, who had the opportunity to study in Russia as a youngster, said she was very angry when she heard that the students chose to spend more time in church and not utilising the opportunity given to them by government.

“I am a product of the ANC sending me to Russia to study. I spent six-and-a-half years. I did my journalism and I came back with a masters degree in journalism,” she told young people at Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto.

Speaking at an ANCYL event to mark the start of youth month, Zulu said she had hoped the students would be more appreciative of the opportunity.

“I speak Russian, I speak French, I speak kiSwahili. I didn’t learn them just from sitting here at home, I learnt it because the African National Congress gave me an opportunity. “That is why I was so flipping angry when I heard about what the students were doing in Cuba,” Zulu said.

Earlier this year KZN health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo visited Cuba after learning that 150 South African medical students in Havana were spending up to seven hours a day, seven days a week, on church activities and not their studies.

Dhlomo added that the department had no problem with students taking part in religious activities, but that it shouldn’t interfere with their reason for being there.

Cuba’s relationship with religion is not the same as here in SA as most Cubans don’t approve of religion being practised in public. Last year we reported that some of our medical students were causing quite the stir in Cuba, as they were preaching in the streets… as guests of another country.

The students reportedly also used their stipends, paid by government, to fly a pastor over from Pietermaritzburg.

Zulu said that the students regretted their actions and added that, while government can create opportunities for them, the rest is up to them.

“You either get it happening for yourselves, or you don’t. Government will create the necessary conditions for you to do that and I have said to you, it is not possible for us to cover everybody.”

She urged young people to explore the rest of the world and learn about new languages and cultures.