Steenhuisen contradicts Ramaphosa on Russia

The DA has distanced itself from President Cyril Ramaphosa's comments that the government views Russia as a "valuable ally and friend".

This is after Ramaphosa told Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a bilateral meeting in Kazan ahead of the XVI BRICS Summit, that Pretoria valued its partner.  

DA leader, and government of national unity partner, John Steenhuisen said his party "rejected this characterisation in no uncertain terms".

"The Democratic Alliance does not consider Russia, or Vladimir Putin, to be an ally of our nation," he said.

On Monday, Ramaphosa told Putin: "We continue to see Russia as a valued ally, as a valued friend who supported us right from the beginning, from the days of our struggle against apartheid, right through to now."

The president said he would use the BRICS meeting to inform Putin and other world leaders about the government of national unity.

This is not the first time that Ramaphosa has briefed his counterparts on the GNU. In July, US President Joe Biden rang Ramaphosa to congratulate him on being elected for a second term and commended him for "successfully" forming the GNU.

In recent years, Ramaphosa has also used the world stage to explain South Africa's position on the Ukraine/Russia and Palestine/Israel conflicts.

Pretoria has been criticised for its close ties with Russia and pro-Palestine stance, and this has led to perceived tensions with the West.

Prior to the formation of the GNU, the DA, and the ANC had fundamental differences on several matters related to South Africa's foreign policy.

The DA opposed Pretoria's non-aligned stance on the Ukraine/Russia conflict.

The Citizen reported last week that, if invited to the summit, Steenhuisen had said the GNU would use it to advance the interests of South Africa. He added that he would have accepted an invitation to be part of Ramaphosa's entourage this week.

However, he is not one of the Cabinet ministers attending the summit.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Steenhuisen said:

"We cannot and will not agree that South Africa should consider an authoritarian regime, that is currently violating international law by waging an imperialist war of aggression against a sovereign state, as an ally.

"At a time when South Africa is experiencing renewed optimism with the first real prospects of economic growth in almost two decades, our government simply cannot afford to make statements that could jeopardise international relations and trade opportunities, which are crucial for realising our key objectives of growth and job creation"

Steenhuisen stressed the importance of positions expressed on behalf of the GNU to be debated fully before being expressed publicly, in order to ensure "maximum consensus and agreement" among partners.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the DA retained the right to maintain their individual foreign policy position.

However, Magwenya said, "They can't impose that position on the president under the guise of the GNU. Their statement is an attempt to micromanage the president, which will not be allowed regardless of the importance and the respect the President attaches to the GNU. He will not be micromanaged by the DA or any party for that matter in the exercise and management of foreign policy."

On Wednesday, Ramaphosa delivered South Africa's statement at the summit.