TASS noted today that South Africa has come under extreme pressure in recent months from the U.S. and the European Union, demanding that it curb ties with Russia and China. A case in point was the charge made by U.S. ambassador Reuben Brigety last May 11, that South Africa was providing Russia with weapons, contrary to its claim of neutrality on the Ukraine war. At the time, Brigety loudly complained about Africa’s non-alignment and claimed that the BRICS was being promoted as a “counterpoint to the G7.”
Ramaphosa addressed this yesterday, speaking before the National Assembly in Cape Town, where he said there had been “concerted efforts to draw South Africa into the broader geopolitical contest around the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Yet we have consistently maintained our non-aligned stance, our respect for the U.N. Charter and for the peaceful resolution of conflict through dialogue.”
The South African President announced that he intended to send four of his senior government ministers, including Foreign Minister Nelida Pandor, to G7 countries as envoys to explain South Africa’s commitment to a non-aligned position on Russia’s war with Ukraine, NBC reported him saying. Earlier in May, Ramaphosa had announced that he would send an African “peace mission” to both Ukraine and Russia in June, which he would lead, and that both Presidents Putin and Zelensky had agreed to meet with the group.
Six African heads of state will form part of the peace mission. “Principal to our discussions,” he said in announcing it, “are efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the devastating conflict in Ukraine.”
