The ANC has dismissed claims that the government’s refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is because the party benefits financially from Russian businesses or because it has historical links to Moscow.
The ANC’s head of international relations, Lindiwe Zulu, said the party’s stance is based on principle rather than on any financial or historical ties to Russia. “We take positions on issues based on principles, and the principle was that ‘let the war end’. If we were to take a one-sided view, we would’ve just made a statement on Ukraine instead of making a general statement,” Zulu told Business Day on Monday.
In March, SA abstained on a UN General Assembly motion to reprimand Russia — a move criticised by some opposition parties, the US and EU. In April, SA again abstained on a resolution in the UN to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council because of its alleged atrocities against Ukrainians.
The government has insisted its “neutral” stance in the UN on the conflict reflects its ambition to help facilitate peace talks.
Sanctions against Russia have been initiated by the US, Canada, the UK, Japan and the EU since the invasion of Ukraine began in February, in a bid to put pressure on Russia to end the war. As the war draws into its sixth month, the conflict has increased food and fuel prices in SA, which is expected to have spillover effects on wage and social demands.
Renova Group
Data from the Electoral Commission of SA shows the ANC, through its investment firm Chancellor House, received R10m in the fourth quarter of 2021 from United Manganese of Kalahari, partly owned by Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg’s conglomerate, Renova Group.
But Zulu said this has not influenced the stance of the party or of the government.
“If we were getting that funding, do you think we would be in this trouble? If there was so much of that funding I’m sure the ANC wouldn’t be struggling financially ... because the Russian oligarchs have a lot of money and if they wanted to put the money they would, but the issue is [the ANC] principle,” she said.
“There are two sides of the conflict and we need to engage. I’m sure you’re aware of the fact that President Cyril Ramaphosa himself has been engaging on both sides ... We need to make sure that the war ends.”
The ANC has close historical links to Moscow because of the Soviet Union’s support for the anti-apartheid struggle. SA also enjoys close economic relations with Russia through the Brics grouping of countries.
Sanctions
Zulu was addressing media on Monday on the party’s policy discussion document entitled “In pursuit of progressive internationalism in a changing world”. In policy documents released to the public ahead of its conference in July the ANC concedes that sanctions against Russia have filtered into the economy and international relations.
“The raft of sanctions, which are unilateral measures not sanctioned by the UN that is imposed by the West on Russia and others, has had a corrosive effect on international governance and relations,” it reads.
The documents direct the party to formulate its position at the upcoming policy conference taking into account “the major global changes resultant of the positions taken by the big powers on the conflict, inclusive of the threats to the dollar hegemony and Visa-Mastercard dominance of international payment systems, and diversification of sources of energy and oil.” Additional reporting by Nonkululeko Njilo
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