FF Plus leader says DA senior strategist must be dismissed for attacking US and Western world while SA US relations on knife edge.
Dr Corne Mulder of the Freedom Front Plus. (Photo by Gallo Images/Jeffrey Abrahams)
The DA’s senior strategist must be dismissed for attacking the US and Western world, says Freedom Front Plus (FF+) leader Corné Mulder.
Mulder said that while relations between SA and the US were on a knife-edge, the DA’s chief strategist, Ryan Coetzee, fanned the flames of the ANC’s anti-US sentiments by sharply criticising the US and Western values in general.
FF+ says DA chief strategist flames of ANC anti-US sentiments
“In response to an important speech by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, on 7 October at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, Coetzee posted on X that the political tradition represented by leaders such as Rubio is the wrong one and that it needs to be defeated again and again and again,” Mulder said.
He said this was a shocking and needless onslaught against the US.
“The FF+ finds it alarming someone acting as the DA’s most important strategist, guide and coordinator of DA ministers in the government of national unity (GNU), harbours the same anti-American sentiments and hostility towards the Trump administration as the ANC,” he said.
However, political analyst Rene Oosthuizen said disagreeing with American leadership was not the same as being anti-American.
“My concern is South Africa’s foreign policy is increasingly becoming a test of political loyalty, rather than a matter of national interest,” said Oosthuizen.
Disagreeing with US leadership not same as being anti-US – political analyst
“I believe the critical question is whether a strategist should be dismissed for expressing a political view, or if the true measure lies in whether that view harms South Africa’s interest.”
North-West University professor Benjamin Rapanyane said the call for accountability was justified.
“The statement correctly highlights the potential consequences of inflammatory political rhetoric for diplomatic and economic relations with strategic partners.
“The DA should be transparent about whether it endorses or rejects the views attributed to its senior strategist.
“At a time when SA needs stronger international partnerships, political leaders should prioritise diplomacy, economic stability and the national interest,” Rapanyane said.
Dangerous if personal views of party members are controlled
Political analyst Piet Croucamp disagreed.
“What he has done is protect the ideals on which Western civilisation rests and it’s the US that is undermining the ideals of the Western civilisation,” said Croucamp.
Political analyst Roland Henwood said: “It will be extremely dangerous if all views or personal views of party members are controlled in this fashion.
“My understanding is the DA is allowing more leeway on issues such as this, also to prevent internal conflict. Remember the differences on the Middle East.
“Mulder is aggressively targeting the DA as this seems to be his main source of votes to increase FF+ support,” said Henwood.
