Africa-Press – South-Africa. The ANC’s chairperson for peace and stability, David Mahlobo, says the party is concerned about the impact of the declining economy on South Africa’s relative stability.
Mahlobo says the government has to deal with the impact of the slow-growing economy on poverty and unemployment.
These issues, he says, often lead to fierce competition for resources, violent protests and an unstable country.
The July 2021 unrest, which saw widespread looting in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, was one of the critical economic threats to the country, according to Mahlobo.
He was briefing the media on Thursday about the ANC’s discussion documents on peace and stability.
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The party is holding a policy conference in July, where it will outline some of its key policy recommendations.
Mahlobo said the ANC was concerned that some people took advantage of the economic situation, resulting in attacks on foreigners.
The ANC was also concerned about the continent’s security issues, which led to increased migration and instability.
He admitted that the ANC’s goal of achieving a “gun free continent” by 2020 had not been achieved.
“Human security issues, poverty, inequality and marginalisation… these need to be attended to, and it remains a security threat if governments cannot perform and improve people’s lives,” Mahlobo said.
Another concern for the ANC was the impact of climate change with regard to security on the African continent.
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“If climate change and mitigation measures are not brought on board, they can cause a security threat because there’s going to be movement of people and competition for resources. Immediately when we start to compete for resources, it will be the survival of the fittest, whether water or food. Climate change needs to be addressed,” Mahlobo said.
The ANC is also concerned about the rise in xenophobic attacks.
Mahlobo said clashes between South Africans and foreigners were a misguided approach to migration.
He said the ANC believed strongly in applying migration laws strictly, but with a mindful approach that people are seeking refuge from conflicts.
“The migration issue should be handled. Where there are wars, this leads to an increase in migration. We are concerned about the movement of people in areas such as Mozambique,” he said.
Russia/Ukraine
On the global stage, the ANC plans to remain neutral regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mahlobo said the party was concerned about the impact of the war on developing countries and its effect on supply chains, which has led to rising prices for goods.
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“Our attitude, as the ANC, is that these conflicts must come to a stop. We want the warring factions to be able to sit down around a table, and we should be able to discuss those issues.
“Our policy documents reaffirm the importance of multilateralism, including respecting those institutions that bring us together. Our views have not changed around the reconfiguration and transformation of the United Nations security council.
“It remains a structure that is not representative, not inclusive, but it discusses matters that affect us on our continent,” Mahlobo said.
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