SouthAfrica cannot afford to be shown to be acting duplicitously — leveraging a neutral stance to extract economic benefits from both trading blocs, writes William Saunderson-Meyer. US Russia Ukraine Read the opinion piece here 🔽
Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka on 28 June 2019. Picture: Alexander Zemlianichenko / POOL / AFP
Thursday’s claim by the US ambassador to Pretoria that we are clandestinely providing armaments to Russia was explosive. The rand tanked on currency exchanges and its vulnerability signals the grave disquiet of overseas investors.Almost as damaging was President Cyril Ramaphosa’s response. Refusing to confirm or deny the veracity of ambassador Reuben Brigety’s statement, Ramaphosa blandly told parliament that he would appoint a commission of inquiry to establish the truth.
We cannot afford to be shown to be acting duplicitously — leveraging a neutral stance to extract economic benefits from both trading blocs, while covertly providing military aid to the Russian aggressor.As recently as January, SA officially stated that it had not approved any arms sales to Russia since that country’s invasion in February 2022. At the same time, SA has continued to burnish its warm ties with Russia and China by joining their Indian Ocean naval exercises.
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