ANC’s childish response to warning by America, Britain, Germany, The Netherlands and Switzerland sabotaging the country’s economy

5 February 2019

The ANC's rash response to the warning issued by the five biggest commercial countries, which comprise 75% of South Africa's trade, that the government must eradicate corruption and implement investor-friendly policies is extremely irresponsible. The government's childish behaviour is sabotaging South Africa's economy as it is jeopardising trade relations with these countries and that could further weaken our country's economy.

Most of these counties are not dependent on trade with South Africa and can, thus, afford to decrease their trade or even implement sanctions against South Africa, particularly now that it has become clear that South Africa is following in Zimbabwe's footsteps.

The FF Plus will liaise with the embassies of the relevant countries and ask that they must not decrease trade and that if they are considering implementing sanctions in the future, that these sanctions must be specifically against individual ANC leaders who are prominent in the government as well as those who are implicated in corruption and state capture – as has come to light with the evidence given at the various commissions of inquiry. It is not fair to punish the entire country and its people by decreasing trade or even through sanctions.

The ANC's response to the warning was inappropriate and the party even went as far as saying that the warning is a form of state capture because these countries are trying to influence the outcome of the upcoming elections and that the ANC will not be threatened and bullied.

The ANC needs to realise that the honeymoon is finally over and that its end is near.

Issued by Anton Alberts, FF Plus chairperson, 5 February 2019