Naledi Pandor fails to call for an immediate withdrawal of Russian troops in Ukraine

8 April 2022

The DA condemns the ANC government’s continued feeble stance on the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine, and their reprehensible decision to abstain from the United Nations Vote to suspend Russia from the its human rights body. No amount of rationalisation and spin will detract from the fact that the South African government has clearly chosen to be on the wrong side of history. And their abstention yesterday is proof of this.

The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, has yet again tried to fool the South African public by claiming government’s non-aligned position on the ongoing war does not boil down to support for its historic comrade, Russia.

While dialogue and mediation is indeed crucial, it cannot meaningfully happen while Russia still occupies Ukranian soil. It also cannot happen without an honest assessment of the seriousness of the situation. The deteriorating humanitarian situation and the thousands of lives lost needs to be condemned at a national level.

Russia must withdraw its troops immediately. And the ANC government must state so in no uncertain terms. South Africa cannot be beholden to war criminals because of misplaced loyalty.

Issued by Darren Bergman, DA Shadow Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, 8 April 2022