South Africa remains ‘non-aligned’ in Russia-Ukraine conflict: President

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - South Africa’s president said Monday that his country’s “non-aligned” position does not favor Russia above other countries and it will not be pressured into abandoning its stance.

Writing in his weekly newsletter, Cyril Ramaphosa said that “with the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, there has been extraordinary pressure on the country to abandon its non-aligned position and take sides in what is in effect a contest between Russia and the West.”

Ramaphosa said other countries in the African continent and elsewhere have been under similar pressure.

His comments follow claims last week by the US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, who told reporters that Washington was convinced that South Africa had supplied arms to the Russian army, despite the country claiming to be neutral.

Brigety claimed that a Russian cargo ship, the Lady R, which docked at the Simon's Town naval base near Cape Town between Dec. 6 and 8, 2022 had loaded weapons and ammunition as it made its way back to Russia.

Ramaphosa said that since there is no concrete evidence to support the allegation, the government is establishing an independent inquiry headed by a retired judge to determine the facts.

The South African leader said his country’s view on the ongoing conflict is that the international community needs to work together to urgently achieve a cessation of hostilities and to prevent further loss of life and displacement of civilians in Ukraine.

“It needs to support meaningful dialogue towards a lasting peace which ensures the security and stability of all nations,” he wrote.

Ramaphosa said the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the tensions that underlie it will not be resolved through military means but needs to be resolved politically.

“South Africa believes that this conflict should be resolved through dialogue,“ he said, adding his country is determined in both word and action to maintain its position on the peaceful resolution of the conflict.

“Guided by the lessons of our history, we will continue to resist calls, from whatever quarter, to abandon our independent and non-aligned foreign policy,” he added.