Mondli Gungubele tries to explain SA’s position on Ukraine

Minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele said on Thursday that the reason SA had decided to “err on the side of caution” in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine is because “the matter is complex”.

“Whenever you enter a conflict of this complexity, you have to ask, how will our participation as SA improve this situation?

“This is a conflict underlined by complex factors. Russia would have had their reasons and the West have their views, but at the end of the day it results in people fighting and dying. How you enter that, you must answer the question, how am I improving the situation?”

The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that SA’s decision to abstain during a UN General Assembly motion to condemn Russia last week had upset the Ukraine, the US and the EU.

Of the assembly's 193 members, 141 voted in favour of the resolution to censure Russia. Thirty-five members, including SA and China, abstained and five countries — Russia, Syria, Belarus, North Korea and Eritrea — voted against the resolution. While general assembly resolutions are non-binding, they carry political weight.

SA has justified its decision by saying the resolution “does not create an environment conducive for diplomacy, dialogue and mediation”.

Speaking during a post cabinet media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday, Gungubele said cabinet was concerned by the ongoing conflict.

“Cabinet calls for a negotiated diplomatic solution and urged all parties to uphold and protect human rights and abide by their obligations in terms of international law and international humanitarian law.”

The government was helping SA citizens to leave Ukraine and a number of them had since returned home, he said. “We have expressed our concern at the ill-treatment of Africans trying to cross international borders during this time. We believe that developing countries must enjoy a greater share of voice and influence in institutions of global governance.

“SA advocates for a more equitable international system and the reform of multilateral institutions to promote greater equality,” he said.

Pressed on the issue, Gungubele referred to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s statement on Monday in which he called for the conflict to be resolved in a peaceful manner.

SA has been consistent that “we are against conflicts that lead to the loss of life — even more disturbing when it costs the lives of children”, said Gungubele.

“We are against the killing of people for whatever reason. We have always believed in negotiated and peaceful resolutions, so we cannot be comfortable about the bombing of children.”

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