Africa-Press – South-Africa. A few days after US Ambassador Reuben Brigety questioned South Africa’s “non-aligned” stance on foreign policy, President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated that South Africa would not be pressured by Western powers to choose sides in international conflicts.
This follows allegations by Brigety that South Africa had sold and loaded firearms and ammunition onto a Russian ship in Simon’s Town last year, which has since created strain between the country and the US ambassador.
In his weekly newsletter on Monday, Ramaphosa reaffirmed the stance taken by the country as a “sovereign state” and called on the international community to implement peaceful measures to resolve the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
He said South Africa would continue to fulfil its obligations “of the various international agreements and treaties” it had signed.
Ramaphosa said South Africa would not be pressured by the West to abandon its “non-aligned” stance.
“We are determined, in both word and action, to maintain our position on the peaceful resolution of conflict. Guided by the lessons of our history, we will continue to resist calls, from whatever quarter, to abandon our independent and non-aligned foreign policy,” he said.
The president said political intervention could resolve the conflict and called on the United Nations to intervene. Additionally, he advised the UN Security Council to remodel its structures to better address international disputes.
He added that the conflict between the two countries had revealed a “weakness” in the UN’s “structures and practices”.
Ramaphosa added:
Referring back to the allegations made by Brigety, Ramaphosa confirmed that the government would set up an independent inquiry led by a retired judge to “establish the facts”.
News24 reported on Saturday that, while speaking to ANC members in eThekwini, Ramaphosa said Brigety had “launched an attack” on the country by circumventing diplomatic processes when he levelled allegations against the South African government.
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