Cape Town - The insistence by the government to remain neutral in the Russian/Ukraine war must be commended.
South Africa has assumed the stance of neutrality despite mounting pressure from the US and its European allies to pick a side.
There was a furore over the claims made by US Ambassador Reuben Brigety that a Russian ship, Lady R, which had been docked in Simon’s Town Navy Base, had been loaded with arms and ammunition.
He made the claims without producing a shred of evidence, a move that led to a huge diplomatic fallout and saw the rand plummeting to its lowest levels.
However, he has since said that he had met International Relations and Co-operation Minister Naledi Pandor to “correct any misimpressions left by public remarks”.
America does not appreciate South Africa’s non-aligned stance in the war.
The revelation that it allegedly sold arms and ammunition to Russia has been interpreted in some circles as the latest attempt by the US to force the country to abandon its neutral stance.
It is crucial for South Africa to hold on to its position while playing an active role in pushing for a peaceful solution to this European conflict.
After all, South Africa’s foreign policy is the one that appreciates that in our darkest times, our country received overwhelming support from countries and citizens from across continental and ideological divides.
Perhaps the greatest challenge facing South Africa is to make sure that its foreign policy is one that safeguards its national interests.
While South Africa’s trade with the US runs into billions of dollars, the trade with the BRICS countries has been growing in leaps and bounds over the years.
Therefore, it can be argued that it is in South Africa’s interests to continue with the non-aligned position that has served us well up to now.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement,that he would lead a high-powered delegation of six African leaders to facilitate negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, is perhaps the strongest indication that South Africa takes its neutral position in the conflict seriously.
Cape Times