The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have strongly criticized the South African government, labeling them as spineless, following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not be attending the upcoming BRICS Summit in August.
President Ramaphosa stated that Putin’s absence was mutually agreed upon, assuring that the Russian Federation would still be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Previously, EFF leader Julius Malema had provided assurances that the Russian leader would not be arrested should he visit South Africa. Malema also accused the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the West of using bullying tactics and threatening Putin’s safety.
Julius Malema
In a recent statement, the EFF expressed concerns about South Africa’s current leadership, asserting that they lacked the determination to effectively promote the growth and empowerment of the Global South and its allies.
The statement read, “This outcome was not unexpected, considering the ANC government’s failure to provide security guarantees to the Russian Federation. The South African government neglected to protect not only a strategic global partner, but also a historical ally in our fight against colonial domination and imperialism.”
The EFF further highlighted the Western influence in the situation, stating that South Africa faced threats from the West, including the possibility of losing financial and political ties, unless they arrested President Putin. The United States even threatened to withdraw South Africa from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) as a form of pressure.
The party also addressed allegations made by the US Ambassador to South Africa, Rueben Brigety, claiming that weapons were loaded onto the US-sanctioned Russian cargo vessel during its docking in December.
Additionally, the EFF criticized Poland for deliberately humiliating President Ramaphosa by denying his security detail entry into the country during transit to Ukraine for peace talks regarding African countries. This act undermined the prestige of the Presidency and compromised his security during the visit to a war zone.
The EFF argued that these incidents were clear attempts by the West to undermine South Africa’s sovereignty and independent foreign policy. They accused the West of pressuring South Africa to arrest President Putin upon his arrival, despite the fact that the US itself is not a signatory to the Rome Statute of the ICC.
South Africa, as a signatory to the Rome Statute, is obligated to arrest Putin if he sets foot in the country. President Ramaphosa has expressed serious concerns about the potential consequences of such an arrest, as Russia has warned that it would view it as a declaration of war.
The EFF’s Statement on Russian President Vladimir Putin Declaring He Will Not Be Coming to South Africa for BRICS Summit
– This outcome is not unexpected considering the lack of security guarantees by the ANC government to the Russian Federation, which failed to protect not only… pic.twitter.com/TIcrMYPFOJ
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) July 19, 2023
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