Çağlayan is currently in South Africa with a delegation of businessmen and bureaucrats in order to participate in a regional business forum. The surprise performance of the Kolbastı, a folk dance that originated in the Black Sea region and quickly spread across Anatolia, took place during the minister’s visit to Horizon College, built and operated by Turkish businessmen in Johannesburg. The students tried to encourage the minister to join the performance but could not convince him to do so.
Çağlayan was warmly received by the students, who gave him flowers, and he spent a considerable amount of time chatting with them. The school prepared a special show for their Turkish guests. The show began with students singing the national anthems of both South Africa and Turkey. AK Party Van deputy Gülşen Orhan especially enjoyed a South African student’s performance of the Turkish folk song “Mevlam Ne Dertler Vermiş” (What afflictions has my God sent to me). Another student’s piece, “Değmen Benim Gamlı Yaslı Gönlüme” (Don’t touch my bereft and mourning soul), was loudly applauded by the whole audience.
Çağlayan praised the Turkish businessmen’s achievements in education, noting that he was proud that these businessmen are contributing to the social improvement of the countries they operate in addition to doing business.
Horizon College is one of five Horizon schools in the country. The first Horizon school was opened in South Africa in 1999. Nearly 2,000 students study at these schools. Boasting about the education quality of their schools, Horizon administrators say their students have a 100 percent success rate in university entrance examinations. The minister and the delegation later headed to Cape Town. The minister met with National Assembly Speaker Max Vuyisile Sisulu. After this, Çağlayan was also received by Mining Minister Susan Shabangu.
