As President Cyril Ramaphosa and BRICS leaders meet in Russia to boost economic development in the Global South, the Democratic Alliance (DA), a key player in the Government of National Unity (GNU), has lashed out.
Ramaphosa, alongside other BRICS leaders, is in Kazan, Russia, for the 16th BRICS Summit.
In a statement on Wednesday, DA leader John Steenhuisen condemned Ramaphosa for referring to Russia as “a valuable ally and friend” during an engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
None of the DA’s Cabinet ministers are attending the 16th BRICS Summit.
Steenhuisen, who serves as Minister of Agriculture in the GNU, said: “The Democratic Alliance distances itself from recent comments made by President Ramaphosa during bilateral engagements with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where he stated that Russia is a valuable ally and friend.”
Ramaphosa made the remarks at the 16th BRICS Summit that is taking place in Kazan, Russia and will run from October 22 to October 24, 2024.
“We continue to see Russia as a valued ally, as a valued friend who supported us right from the beginning, from the days of our stuggle against apartheid,” Ramaphosa said.
Steenhuisen said the DA, as a key partner in the GNU rejects this characterisation in no uncertain terms.
“The Democratic Alliance does not consider Russia, or Vladimir Putin, to be an ally of our Nation,” the DA leader said.
Steenhuisen said that the DA cannot and will not agree that South African should consider an authoritarian regime, that is currently violating international law by waging an imperialist war of aggression against a sovereign state, as an ally.
“At a time when South Africa is experiencing renewed optimism with the first real prospects of economic growth in almost two decades, our government simply cannot afford to make statements that could jeopardise international relations and trade opportunities, which are crucial for realising our key objectives of growth and job creation,” Steenhuisen said.
“As Leader of the Democratic Alliance in the GNU, I reiterate the importance of positions expressed on behalf of the GNU being the subject to full and proper debate within the government mechanisms before being announced as positions of the GNU to ensure maximum consensus and agreement amongst the parties to the GNU.”
BRICS
The 16th BRICS summit is first meeting of the bloc since the expansion of BRICS to include five new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
The theme of the 2024 summit is Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable Global Development and Security.
The heads of the BRICS nations will also be present at the summit.
During his bilateral engagement with Putin, Ramaphosa briefed the Russian leader on the GNU and the SA’s focus on inclusive economic growth, job creation and fighting poverty.
Ramaphosa said that SA is ready to work with the Russia to grow both economies.
