With South Africa under attack from newly elected US President Donald Trump local politicians are pushing for the government not to compromise on any of the issues perceived as being behind the sudden targeting of the country.
While Trump has cited alleged mass killing of whites in what Afriforum has falsely claimed to be state sponsored land grabs, many international observers believe the US is retaliating over the stance South Africa took on ongoing conflicts in Palestine and in Ukraine where it’s posture stands opposite of what the West wants.
The latest is that South Africa may face further pressure from the US if it refuses to host Ukraine President Voladimir Zelensky who is reportedly working behind the scenes to secure a visit to the country.
South Africa is set to host the G20 summit in November and Ukrainian officials are reported to be pushing for Zelensky to be invited, a matter that Pretoria is yet to decide on. In parliament during the debate into President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address, opposition parties urged him to remain steadfast against what they call bullying by the US.
Regarding Zelensky’s reported drive to visit the country, politicians in South Africa cautioned the government against bending over backwards to accommodate the Kiev regime or sacrifice its historical relations with Russia.
“Between Russia and the Ukraine, there must be a peaceful resolution, but not at the expense of Russia. Russia must defend its territories, and Ukraine must stop being used as a NATO project to undermine the security of the Russian nation. So, he is coming here. He will just come likeany other person, but we’ve got no interest of him coming here,” said EFF Secretary General Marshall Dlamini.
Dlamini said in the event South Africa hosted Zelensky, who is said to be desperate for the visit, the government needed to ensure that he does not use the visit to promote falsehoods about the ongoing conflict with Russia or about Ukraine’s relations with Pretoria. “ So, we are really not interested in Mr. Zelensky, but he must know that him coming here to South Africa must never make a mistake of thinking that they are going to endorse him, or support what he is trying to do, to invade, to use that kind of Ukraine as a gateway to invade Russian territory. That must not be allowed,” said Dlamini.
“In light of the aggression by the USA against South Africa, we must as a nation seriously consider strengthening ties with Russia, China and nations who belong to BRICS to avoid unnecessary confrontations with maniacs such as Donald Trump.
The USA, under the leadership of Donald Trump is progressively isolating the world by imposing tariffs and sanctions on nations who refuse to bow to their authority and imperialist actions, and will soon dwindle into insignificance because no one will have an interest in trading or relating to them as a nation,” said the EFF in a statement.
Veteran diplomat and South Africa’s former deputy minister of foreign affairs Marius Fransman said in the event that South Africa decided to host Zelensky the government should use the opportunity to pressure him into recognising and accepting its role as mediator in the conflict. “ South Africa should only and on condition, welcome Ukraine Presidential visit with clear foreign policy conditions, that is, that Ukraine agrees that if President Zelensky is to come to South Africa, Ukraine Leader accept # South Africa in its role as a peaceful mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” said Fransman.
Zelensky is also under pressure from Trump who wants a return on investment on the billions of dollars that the USA has pumped into Ukraine.
Analysts believe South Africa should brace itself for an onslaught over its stance on both Ukraine and Palestine.
“It has very little to do with land expropriation legislation and everything to do with the fact that South Africa has taken a bold step against Israel and has opted for a non-aligned position on Russia-Ukraine,” said the University of Johannesburg’s Dr. Oscar Van Heerden.
The DA and the entire right in South Africa have argued it’s not in South Africa’s interest to antagonise warning that dragging Israel to the International Court of Justice could see the country kicked out of the AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act). The US has since responded much more ruthlessly cutting aid and ordering refugee status to white Afrikaners.
The former opposition and now part of the Government of National Unity lobbied unsuccessfully for the foreign affairs ministry and argued South Africa traded more with western countries and should prioritise them than the Global South.
The left in South Africa , now constituting an opposition block with the official opposition UMkhonto Wesizwe Party, EFF and ATM ( African Transformation Movement) being the dominant ones in the Progressive Caucus want more ties with Russia, China and nations who belong to BRICS.
“In light of the aggression by the USA against South Africa, we must as a nation seriously consider strengthening ties with Russia, China and nations who belong to BRICS to avoid unnecessary confrontations with maniacs such as Donald Trump.
The USA, under the leadership of Donald Trump is progressively isolating the world by imposing tariffs and sanctions on nations who refuse to bow to their authority and imperialist actions, and will soon dwindle into insignificance because no one will have an interest in trading or relating to them as a nation,” said the EFF in a statement.
The USA, under the leadership of Donald Trump is progressively isolating the world by imposing tariffs and sanctions on nations who refuse to bow to its authority sparking speculation more countries may lose interest in trading or relating to them ( USA).
Analysts believe the presence of Zelensky in the country may not be good for relations Russia believing it would be a bad choice also in the context of our relations within BRICS and specifically with the Russian Federation.
There are serious questions that are currently being asked about why South Africa’s ability to control arms manufacturing industry and specifically the issues around Rheinmetall munitions, which is alleged to have tripled amounts of munitions that it manufactures suspected to be redirected to Ukraine through Germany in violation of the law.
Another analyst said even if South Africa hosted Zelensky it would not necessarily fix relations with the US as the Ukraine President isn’t that important to the Trump administration. Trump this week demanded that the US get value for money for funding it had been providing for many years.
Another analyst wasn’t as diplomatic.
“South Africa has no position on what foreign position it wants to advance. It follows the direction of the wind. The presence of Ukraine means nothing to President Ramaphosa. Its presence would create an unsavory environment moment for Ukraine and for Russia, said Professor Sipho Seepe.
The ANC has meanwhile maintained a dominance on policy and refused to compromise even when the DA threatened to walkout of the GNU including on domestic affairs.