South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa said the crisis in Ukraine should be resolved via diplomacy rather than use of guns, adding that his nation "attained democracy through a negotiated settlement."
“We all call upon Russia and the Ukraine to subject this conflict to mediation and do everything in their power to reach an agreement that will lead to the cessation of hostilities,” Ramaphosa tweeted on today March 7.
When the United Nations General Assembly voted last week on a resolution calling on its BRICS partner, Russia, to remove its armed forces from Ukraine, South Africa decided to abstain. The move drew even more ire toward Ramphosa, who defended his country's stance by claiming that "the resolution did not emphasize the demand for real engagement."
“We’ve asked our government that it be seen to use its influence as a member of BRICS, to call on Russia to stop the guns, so that we can then begin the process of rebuilding and negotiations,” said Sello Hatang, the CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. But Hatang’ call was dismissed by the administration of Cyril Ramaphosa.
Hatang’s convinced that some African governments including South Africa are hesitant to side with the West because of its role in previous conflicts.
“Remember when Madiba [Mandela] angrily reacted to the attack of Iraq by the US and the UK governments, joined by other allies? At the time, those Western forces were saying to everybody, ‘You’re either with us, or you’re against us.’ And they bullied everybody to then be with them. Those who disagreed vehemently, like the South African government, were then isolated and treated like they did something wrong.”
Other experts, however, believe there are other reasons why South Africa and other African countries are hesitant to speak out more forcefully against the tragedy unfolding in eastern Europe.
One example is that South Africa has long had close connections with Moscow, dating back to the apartheid era, when the old Soviet Union supported the liberation effort. But Professor of political science Bheki Mngomezulu disagrees.
"The majority of the people are of the view that the liberation struggle was supported solely by Russia in terms of these two countries, but the reality of the matter is all the countries that were part of the USSR participated in terms of assisting the liberation struggle not only in South Africa but in Africa in general."
Meanwhile, the opposition to the government's stance is growing, with calls for tougher actions toward Russia.
“Is there a point where a country’s justified to attack another? The answer is, no! Is there a point where your security, your interest as a nation, becomes so threatened, that you then do what you (think you) need to do? I think there’s no justification for war at all,” Hatang said.