UMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party has urged the government not to submit to pressure from US government to change its policies.
The party said during a media briefing in Johannesburg on Friday that aggression by the US was meant to bully South Africa into among others withdrawing support for Palestine and distancing itself from historical allies Russia and China.
MK Secretary General Floyd Shivambu said the aggression by the Donald Trump was somewhat of a knee jerk reaction to what he believes to be the end of US dominance over the rest of the world.
“If anything what we should learn from this is that the bullying on behalf of the US by your IMF and World Bank is coming to an end. Countries can now determine their monetary policies and set their tariffs without being told what to do,” said Shivambu.
He said instead of begging to stay in AGOA ( Africa Growth and Opportunity Act) South Africa should instead look elsewhere for markets emphasising that BRICS countries have markets that South Africa could benefit from more than it could ever gain from trade with the USA.
“It’s time for us and other progressive forces within the global South to come together. The BRICS Plus countries for example offer markets much more lucrative than the US. You have more than a billion people in China, 400 million or so, there’s India and Africa itself so we have to do business amongst each other,” said Shivambu.
He said South Africa should maintain its current posture on global affairs even as Trump doubles down on action against Pretoria.
“South Africa should never waver on its foreign policy and its historical character of standing for peace and being anti-imperialist. We should continue in the approach of being non-aligned but also more vocal for the besieged people of Palestine and others across the world,” said Shivambu.
The Secretary General criticised the government for extending an invitation to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy whom he described as a puppet.
He said the party will voice its objections in the lead-up to and during Zelenskyy’s visit.
“MK will hold demonstrations to object to Zelensky’s visit. We don’t want him to come, he’s not our friend but a puppet of imperialism and we are going to strongly voice our objection to him,” Shivambu said of the Ukraine president’s visit expected this month.
The EFF and the South African Communist Party have also criticised the hosting of Zelenskyy by President Cyril Ramaphosa who has maintained the state visit is part of a continuation of South Africa’s role as a mediator in the conflict with Russia.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said in March that for two years or so Ramaphosa was in fact the only leader who could easily talk to both Zelenskyy and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Shivambu said MK will soon establish a “work stream” monitor what is going on in other countries including in the west.
He said a delegation would be dispatched to meet with leaders of the Western Saharawi people and the Kingdom of Morocco, which has continued to lay claim to the territory.
