DA launches petition over SA’s stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine

As pressure mounts on the South African government to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has launched an online petition for government to take a “decisive stand” over the raging war.

Russia-Ukraine war

The official opposition party, which has been calling on the ANC government to publicly condemn Russia since the war started on 24 February, has accused government of “flip-flopping” on its stance regarding the war in Ukraine.

DA MP and spokesperson on international relations, Darren Bergman, said government at first did not want to take a stand against Russia, claiming to be neutral.

When the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) issued a statement calling on Moscow to withdraw its forces from Ukraine, President Cyril Ramaphosa allegedly lambasted Minister Naledi Pandor for the strongly worded statement.

Bergman recalled other instances in which the DA believes the South African government had been found wanting on the war in Ukraine.

“Three ANC government representatives – Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise, Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) General Rudzani Maphwanya, and the director-general of the Department of Defence and Military Veterans’ special advisor Tsepe Motumi – attended a cocktail party hosted by the Russian ambassador to South Africa, Ilya Rogachev, and the Russian Defence Attaché, Colonel Dmitriy Priimachuck.

“And to add insult to injury, South Africa also abstained from the United Nations (UN) General Assembly’s vote to condemn the invasion,” Bergman said in a statement on Sunday.

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DA petition demands

The DA, through its petition, hopes to ensure that government uses its Brics membership to engage with Russia to bring about the withdrawal of its troops from Ukraine.

The party wants government to ensure that Russia is held accountable to the Geneva Convention and international law; and that Russia does not use any weaponry that violates the Lieber Code.

It also wants government not to assist Russia in facilitating or hosting any monies, transactions or business deals that could counter the sanctions that have been introduced by the West as measures to bring about an immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.

By 10am on Monday, the DA’s petition had received 4,178 signatures. The party needs 20,000 signatures for the petition to succeed.

“Unless South Africa does all it can to condemn the invasion and urge Russia to withdraw, it will be complicit in this needless war and have the blood of multitudes on its hands.

“Let’s be clear, the Russian invasion of Ukraine cannot go unchallenged. And the ANC government cannot try to maintain a neutral position. There will be no neutrality in this war,” Bergman said.

‘Restoration of peace’

Meanwhile, the Nelson Mandela Foundation also added to the growing chorus of calls for South Africa to condemn Russia’s invasion.

This after the Russian Embassy in South Africa said on social media it had “received a great number of letters of solidarity” from South Africans, both individuals and organisations in support of its invasion.

“We appreciate your support and glad you decided to stand with us today, when Russia, like 80 years ago, is fighting Nazism in Ukraine!” the Russian Embassy said in a tweet on Saturday.

The German Embassy in South Africa condemned the Russian Embassy for its tweet, saying Russia was not fighting Nazism in Ukraine, but “slaughtering innocent children, women and men for its own gain”.

Sorry, but we can't stay silent on this one, it's just far too cynical. What 🇷🇺 is doing in 🇺🇦 is slaughtering innocent children, women and men for its own gain. It's definitely not "fighting Nazism". Shame on anyone who's falling for this. (Sadly, we're kinda experts on Nazism.)

— Germany in SA (@GermanEmbassySA) March 5, 2022

The Nelson Mandela Foundation said it was grieving for those affected by Russia’s invasion and called for “a cessation of hostilities and the restoration of peace”.

“We are troubled by the complexity of the challenge to the world order, and by the vagaries of international rules of engagement.

“We see the unspeakable danger of nuclear plants coming under attack. We call for a cessation of hostilities and the restoration of peace in the region,” the foundation said at the weekend.

Compiled by Thapelo Lekabe.

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