LETTER: Pandor blind to Russia’s crimes

Running foreign affairs through emotion, open hatred of the West and the quaint idea that countries have friends rather than interests hardly contributes to SA’s reputation, as the country is well on its way to becoming Russia’s one remaining democratic state apologist.

International relations & co-operation minister Naledi Pandor flip-flops between common sense (or is it a slow-growing awareness of isolation?) and muddled thinking. While now saying “the inhuman actions against the people of Ukraine can’t be defended by anyone”, she goes on to cite Russia’s support for the resistance to apartheid as a cockeyed reason to go easy on its current behaviour, even though Ukraine was part of the USSR she praises.

As Russia’s crimes are figuratively and literally unearthed by objective facts and mass graves; Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledges China’s “concerns” about Ukraine; and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tells him “now is not the time for war”, SA hangs in there, abstaining from an International Atomic Energy Agency resolution that Russia must leave the dangerously exposed Zaporizhzhya power plant.

Meanwhile, a badly advised Ramaphosa was in Washington speaking to the Black Caucus on Palestine, Western Sahara and brotherhood with Africa, no doubt after arrogant, naive prompting from his foreign minister, totally unaware that US politicians (black or otherwise) have no interest in such issues unless they gain constituency votes or legislative leverage for financial advantage.

And, as President Joe Biden warned China not to expect US investment if it helps Russia evade sanctions, Ramaphosa was playing with fire by saying Russia is an SA “strategic partner”, in effect asking the US to drop a tonne of manure on SA. 

Sydney Kaye, Cape Town

JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.​