DA calls out ANC for not criticising ‘paymaster’ Putin

The Ukraine invasion is causing chaos all over the world. As Russian troops continue to invade, European and other western countries are scrambling to push back with sanctions against Vladimir Putin. While they squabble about the best way to handle things, African countries are also split over how to handle Russia. While Kenya and Ghana have condemned Russia, South Africa is stuck in limbo. And now, that limbo has even got the DA and ANC having a go at each other.

Russia vs Ukraine: Putin vs DA vs ANC

In a statement released on Sunday, the DA called on the South African government to join the worldwide action to isolate Putin. BUT the party says it knows the ANC won’t. That’s because it says it relies on Putin’s associates for funding.

“One of the top funders of the ANC in 2020 was a mining company jointly owned by a Russian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin and the ANC front company Chancellor House. Oligarch Victor Vekselberg owns 49% of South Africa’s 4th largest manganese miner, United Manganese of Kalahari. The rest of the mining operation has ownership that includes Chancellor House and an ANC-linked community group.”

DA MP James Lorimer

The DA might have a point.

ALSO READ – ANC has its say on Ukraine invasion, slams UN & ‘imperialist manipulation’

The company is on record as having donated over R7 million to the ANC during the first quarter of 2020/21.

Lorimer says this alone suggests that the ANC is reluctant to act against its “paymaster” Putin. The MP says that the ANC is showing that its paydays are “more important” than the sovereignty of nations.

Ramaphosa “unhappy” with Ukraine flip flop

In a statement of its own on Sunday, the ANC had some very strong words for the United Nations. In fact, the strongest words in the entire statement are directed at the UN. The party says some global leaders are embarrassingly biased.

The West also comes up for some big criticism from the governing party. The ANC is calling on concerned global citizens to “apply their mind” and not become prey to “imperialist” manipulation.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is reportedly unhappy with his own government’s response to the invasion. On Thursday, the Department of International Relations released a strongly worded statement calling for the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine.

According to a report in the Sunday Times, sources close to the president revealed that he is unhappy with the statement. Apparently, Ramaphosa believes that it “contradicts” the South African position on the Ukraine invasion.