The Cuban President, Fidel Castro, has left South Africa after a two-day state visit, which followed the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Durban.

During his visit, Dr Castro addressed the South African parliament, urging it to continue peaceful and orderly changes in the country.

The speech was welcomed by the governing African National Congress but was boycotted by two opposition parties the Democratic Party and the Freedom Front.

Later Dr Castro laid a wreath in the township of Soweto in commemoration of an anti-apartheid protest in 1976.

President Nelson Mandela gave Dr Castro South Africa's highest civilian award for foreigners, the Order of Good Hope.