SA won't condemn Russia, and is not fence-sitting over invasion, MPs told

SA will not be calling out Russia, nor taking sides in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. 

This is according to deputy international relations and co-operation minister Mashego-Dlamini, who was answering MPs’ questions in the National Assembly in minister Naledi Pandor’s absence on Wednesday. Pandor is in Geneva.

Mashego-Dlamini denied that the government was sitting on the fence, adding that it would not be making any decision on the basis of what other countries were doing.

The country has good bilateral relations with both nations, and taking sides would compromise those relations, added Mashego-Dlamini.

“Can you please stop sitting on the fence? There are global calls for President Vladimir Putin and members of his cabinet to be charged with war crimes. What is SA’s position with respect to that?” asked UDM MP Nqabayomzi Kwankwa.

He said that China, a member of the Brics forum, had lifted restrictions on Russian wheat imports.

“What are we doing as a country?” he asked.

Mashego-Dlamini said SA's position was to stress that peace is best built through diplomacy and dialogue within the framework of institutions of global dialogue, especially the UN.

“It is important for all nations to respect and uphold the principle of international law including international humanitarian law and the provision of the UN charter. That’s our stance,” she said.

“There is nothing like we are standing on the fence here. We are members of the UN, we have presented our position there and we have been supported by many countries on that,” she added. “Whoever has called for whatever, we are not going by what other counties are saying, we are going by what SA feels would be the better solution in this particular conflict.”

Mashego-Dlamini sidestepped a question about a Dirco statement issued last week, in which Pandor called for Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

The Sunday Times reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa was “unhappy” at Pandor’s strongly worded statement. Sources said that the statement “contradicted” SA’s position on the Ukraine issue.

The IFP’s Mkhuleko Hlengwa asked whether Dirco stood by that statement.

He said there seemed to be backtracking, particularly with regard to the very direct call to Russia to withdraw from Ukraine.

Mashego-Dlamini said SA’s position remained unchanged in that it called  for the peaceful resolution of conflict.

“That is our position,” she said.

According to Mashego-Dlamini, SA was encouraging all parties to strengthen all diplomatic efforts to avoid an escalation of tensions and work towards an inclusive, sustainable and peaceful solution based on co-operation and dialogue.

“In this regard, SA encourages all parties to approach dialogue with the spirit of compromise and SA stands by its position of peaceful resolution of conflict.”

She said accusing any party will not be helpful in the process of resolving the conflict.

“SA cannot be seen to be taking sides in a conflict as this goes against its principles. In addition, SA has good bilateral relations with both countries.”

Taking a different position could compromise these bilateral relations, she said.

TimesLIVE