EFF statement on the DA Minster granting Visa free access for Ukrainian diplomatic, official, and service passport

28 October 2024

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) notes the announcement by the white privileged Democratic Alliance (DA) Minister of Home Affairs on social media stating that he has signed an agreement granting visa free access to South Africa for Ukrainian holders of diplomatic, official and service passport and vice versa.

As the EFF we must state it categorically that we vehemently reject this agreement signed by the DA Minister of Home Affairs, who clearly is discombobulated about who South Africa's allies are. We characterize the signing of an agreement granting visa free access for the representatives and operatives of a Neo-Nazi regime of Ukraine as the ultimate betrayal of our strong solidarity with the Russia Federation.

South Africa has a long-standing relationship with Russia, an allyship whose roots can be traced back to the very 'heart' of our country's anti-imperialist and anti-apartheid struggle against Euro-Western colonizing forces. Furthermore, South Africa and Russia are founding members of BRICS where both countries appreciate economic and infrastructural development in key strategic areas. Our membership in BRICS is also a progressive and important step against imperialism and its neo-liberal agenda.

The DA Minister, Leon Schreiber's signing of this agreement is nothing else but an attempt to undermine our relationship with Russia so as to please the Euro-Western imperialists and North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) deep seated political agenda to expand into the Eastern part of Russia using neighbouring countries such as Ukraine as proxy. In the context of the current Russia-Ukraine war, Russia is within its rights to pre-emptively defend itself when its sovereignty is threatened by the encircling of its territory by foreign powers in the form of NATO who have a history of invading and toppling sitting Heads of State through military operations. Recent history is a reminder of NATO's hateful imperialist agenda — it evaded Libya and violently murdered President Muammar Gaddafi. It has left Libya, once a world class country in absolute ruins.

Another typical example is the invasion of Iraq and killing of Saddam Hussein by the United States (US) under the guise of looking for the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) which were never found. Schreiber must know that as a country, we will not be cajoled into accepting an agreement that seeks to either directly or indirectly aid Euro-Western imperialism.

The DA continues to demonstrate its vile disregard for the progressive steps that Government has taken against imperialism. This move further cements the fact that the DA is fully in charge of the 'GNU' and certainly not shying away from reducing the African National Congress (ANC) Head of State as a dog on the chain. Worse, neither has Cyril Ramaphosa shied away from this treatment from the DA as it was glaring at the signing of the BELA bill.

It is only white supremacist arrogance that would sign a political agreement with a state that is involved in a global conflict without discussing the matter with the Head of State and Minister of International Relations for tabling at a Cabinet meeting. It is clear that the DA is determined to reposition SA as pawn for imperialist powers.

This agreement must be rejected by all South Africans as it seeks to open flood gates for Neo-Nazi operatives to use South Africa as a base from which to process their intelligence against our ally, Russia. It is also a precursor of a Zionist exodus to find refuge under the pro-Zionist and racist DA government in the Western Cape. On the basis of the Minister's action to aid Neo-Nazi operatives and his affinity for pro-Zionism it is fair to characterize the DA as a bunch of Neo-Nazi and Zionist sympathizers who want to position South Africa as a Zionist and Neo-Nazi state by signing this treasonous agreement. The DA are the running dogs of Euro-Western imperialists and as progressive forces of the left we must treat them as such. We can only hope that the President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa does not ratify this agreement as it will compromise our political and diplomatic ties with Russia and our membership in BRICS.

Issued by Leigh-Ann Mathys, National Spokesperson, EFF, 28 October 2024