ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula has spoken about the stance South Africa has on the Russia and Ukraine war.
“We said this is against our position,” Mbalula said.
ANC international relations subcommittee member and former diplomat Lindiwe Zulu said the ANC’s approach based on nonviolence resolution of world conflicts came from the Freedom Charter that said conflicts must be resolved by peaceful means.
Zulu said Africa was the subject of scorn and laughter for its efforts but humanity as a whole stood to benefit from its efforts to bring peace to Ukraine.
She said because the former Soviet Union supported the ANC in its struggle against apartheid rule, did not mean they would agree with everything Russia said.
She rejected suggestions the ANC only engaged with the Russian ambassador to South Africa and said she held discussions with both Russian and Ukrainian ambassadors to South Africa, as mandated by the ANC.
Scholar and international relations expert Dr Oscar van Heerden said in his research he found the ANC had been consistent with its non-aligned position for years.
Van Heerden was a moderator in a panel dialogue on the Russia-Ukraine conflict under the theme “A better Africa and a better world” hosted by the ANC on Wednesday night.
Zulu said as ANC they were conscious of the fact that whenever there was war or conflict anywhere in the world, it was bound to affect Africa, hence the ANC always wanted to find a peaceful solution to that conflict.
She said the 10-point plan for peace presented by President Cyril Ramaphosa on behalf of the African leaders who comprised Peace Mission was centred on peace, friendship, good neighbourliness and mutual beneficial economic productivity between Russia and Ukraine.
The African mission came about after negotiations on what should be done and foreign diplomats in South Africa were aware of the discussions that happened.
Source: https://www.citizen.co.za/news/sa-position-on-ukraine-russia-will-be-vindicated/
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