DA questions intentions behind planned visit of Russian bombers to South Africa amid claims of non-alignment

30 October 2024

The intended arrival of two Russian Tupolev TU-160 “Blackjack” heavy strategic bombers in South Africa from 29 October to 2 November, as announced by the Department of Defence, raises serious questions about the government’s claim to a “non-aligned” stance in global conflicts.

This scheduled visit and the anticipated warm welcome by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) serve as yet another affront to Ukraine, further eroding the credibility of South Africa’s so-called neutral position. Blackjacks were previously used by President Ramaphosa’s ally, Vladimir Putin, to deliver missiles to Belarus, which were then fired indiscriminately on Ukrainian cities, causing thousands of civilian casualties.

President Ramaphosa’s ongoing silence on Russia’s prolonged aggression against Ukraine since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, and its recent full-scale invasion, is a sharp contrast to South Africa’s active engagement with the International Court of Justice over alleged genocide in the Israel-Hamas conflict. This inconsistency in South Africa’s foreign policy highlights selective engagement, undermining its supposed stance of non-alignment.

If South Africa’s neutrality is genuine, the DA calls on Ramaphosa to extend the same invitation to Ukraine’s military personnel and equipment that has been extended to Russia.

Issued by Chris Hattingh, DA Spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans, 30 October 2024