The people of South Africa are being sold out through Putin loyalty

Contribution by Wouter Wessels, FF Plus MP (This contribution also appeared in the Rapport newspaper on 25 June 2023 with the title: Short-sighted yes-manship paves the way for even worse suffering):

Africa is, like the rest of the world, heavily burdened by high inflation rates due to sky-rocketing food prices and the high cost of fuel. In addition to this, the Russian-Ukraine conflict has a direct socio-economic impact on Africa.

According to the African Development Bank, there is presently a shortfall of 30 million tonnes of grain due to the war. The shortages of fertiliser and fuel also have extremely detrimental consequences for food security, job creation and economic growth.

There are, however, 18 African states that will, despite the dire global economic circumstances, still experience economic growth rates exceeding 5% during 2023. It is clear that the continent is generally very resilient and has abundant potential.

South Africa is, unfortunately, not one of those resilient states experiencing the desired growth. On the contrary, it is estimated that our economy will grow with a mere 0,8% in 2023. This once economic giant of Africa now ranks fifth on the list of richest African states, based on our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita. South Africa’s struggling economy is hampering the rest of Southern Africa’s growth as well.

It is clear that while the rest of Africa is focused on growth and development, despite numerous challenges, the ANC government is blindly clinging to its own ideological and historical loyalties at the expense of much-needed economic growth.

There is a never-ending list of failures caused by the ANC’s blind historical loyalty to certain states.

Among other things, sending students to Cuba for medical training at double the normal cost; bringing Cuban engineers to South Africa to help with infrastructure projects rather than using local experts; and awarding government bursaries to students to go and study in Russia while the qualifications in question are not necessarily recognised here.

The Lady R debacle and the apparent pro-Russia stance about the ongoing conflict can also be added to that list.

The ANC government lacks the political will to make carefully considered decisions regarding foreign relations.

The Minister of International Relations, Naledi Pandor, recently said that the ANC government is not willing to change its views because of pressure from trade partners, seeing as that will mean “selling out the country”.

Minister Pandor is, of course, quite right in that foreign relations are about much more than just trade relations, but is entirely wrong in saying that government’s foreign policy should not be affected by it.

Although President Ramaphosa tries to pretend that South Africa is neutral as regards the Russia-Ukraine conflict, certain members of his executive authority have clearly indicated that there exists historical loyalty and sympathy towards Russia. This closeness with Russia is very obvious to the West.

Western states were shocked when South Africa decided not to vote in a motion, which condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, tabled in the United Nations (UN) in October last year.

That is the main reason why we were not invited to the G7 Summit for the first time in decades, and why pressure mounted on the USA not to host the AGOA Forum in South Africa. There is also constant pressure to exclude South Africa from AGOA.

The uncertainty regarding South Africa’s inclusion in the AGOA agreement could compel many companies to move their factories to other African states. And that will inevitably lead to a loss of job opportunities.

The AGOA Trade Agreement allows the African states included in it to export certain goods to the USA without paying import duty. At present, South African exports to the USA amount to more than R178 billion and create hundreds of thousands of job opportunities.

If we were to be excluded from AGOA, it will not only result in financial losses, but it will also seriously damage the country’s image as a potential economic partner.

South Africa’s ability to finance its government debt entails being able to loan R2,1 billion every day.

For this, we rely on the USA, Europe and the UK. Therefore, the consequences of being excluded from AGOA will hamper the country’s ability to balance its budget through debt. And then government will be able to meet even less of its citizens’ social needs – particularly those of the poor.

Government’s indifferent attitude – and especially Minister Pandor’s – towards the possible exclusion from AGOA speaks to the fact that government does not prioritise job creation, investments, growth and development. The ANC government’s top priority is spreading election propaganda through rhetoric.

Anti-USA and anti-West propaganda along with racial polarisation will surely be the main ingredients of the ANC’s election campaign for next year. The ANC is grasping at straws in a desperate attempt to retain power; it is trying to win voters through obsolete rhetoric while that same rhetoric will, ultimately, lead to even more unemployment, poverty and famine.

Although Minister Pandor claims that government will not sell out the country to the West, the ANC government has already sold out the people of South Africa with its short-sighted historical loyalty. The people of South Africa deserve better.

It is not only time for change, but also for improvement. In 2024, South Africans have the opportunity to vote for a government that prioritises growth and development, and that will maintain a coherent international policy to facilitate economic and social progress.

South Africans must actively participate in the political system so as to bring about a better dispensation where citizens’ lives are not subordinate to Putin loyalty.