EFF statement on Russian President Vladimir Putin declaring he will no be coming to South Africa for BRICS summit
19 July 2023
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) notes the communication from Cyril Ramaphosa's office that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend next month's BRICS summit in South Africa.
This outcome is not unexpected considering the lack of security guarantees by the ANC government to the Russian Federation, which failed to protect not only a strategic global partner but also a historical ally in our fight against colonial domination and imperialism.
In a typical Western imperialist fashion, South Africa faced threats of losing financial and political ties with the West unless they arrested President Putin. The United States of America (USA) even threatened to withdraw South Africa from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) as a form of pressure.
Additionally, in May, the US Ambassador to South Africa, Rueben Brigety, hosted twelve South African journalists and made explosive claims, staking his life on the assertion that weapons were loaded onto the US-sanctioned Russian cargo vessel, Lady R, during its docking at the Simon's Town naval base from the 6th to the 8th of December last year.
Poland further deliberately humiliated Ramaphosa, a direct undermining of a prestigious office of the Presidency even though a puppet occupies it, by denying his security detail entry into the country during transit to Ukraine for the intervention peace talks by African countries.
Poland detained passengers and crew on a flight, restricting media freedom and human rights. As a result, the South African head of state had to travel to Kyiv in a compromised state, without his security detail, to attend the talks in a war zone.
These are clear attempts by the West to undermine our sovereignty and independent foreign policy, pressuring our state to arrest President Putin upon his arrival. It's ironic because the USA itself is not a signatory to the Rome Statute of the ICC.
All of the above events underpin the South African government's ceaseless attempts to persuade President Putin not to attend BRICS, influenced by the NATO War Alliance.
It must therefore be highlighted that President Putin's withdrawal is a consequence of the South African state's reluctance to be firm on international affairs and their inability to resist pressure from NATO.
Further hypocrisy lies in the fact that the ICC has not prosecuted individuals like George Bush and Tony Blair for war crimes, raising questions about its impartiality, yet our government bows to its threats.
The EFF cautions all member states of BRICS that South Africa is currently led by a spineless government that will never meaningfully take forward efforts to grow the strength of the Global South and its allies.
Their noble efforts to fight against imperialism, the calls for de-dollarisation, and for an alliance that will place BRICS nations on a stronger footing in the globe will always be undermined by a cowardly government in South Africa.
Issued by Sinawo Thambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 19 July 2023
