Sisulu Foundation slams Ramaphosa’s ‘betrayal’

THE Sisulu Foundation for Social Justice has weighed in on the rising diplomatic tensions between South Africa and the US, saying this country must resist attempts by economically pliable leaders to manipulate the country back to colonialism.

The foundation also took a swipe at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s troubling statements made in favour of the United States, saying such approach resembled those of a leader more interested in appeasing foreign powers than in upholding the dignity and sovereignty of our nation. 

This after the Presidency confirmed that Ramaphosa’s office was engaging with the City of Johannesburg regarding the renaming of the Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive after the Palestinian freedom fighter.

The Presidency had said it recognised the diplomatic sensitivities around the renaming of Sandton Drive, particularly with the US. 

“It is for this reason that the national government, through the Dirco, is in talks with the city. The purpose of these talks is to agree on a process that will allow the national executive to manage the diplomatic tensions with the US without further inflaming the situation,” Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said.

However the Sisulu Foundation said Ramaphosa’s approach was a "betrayal of the values the country's liberation struggle was built upon”. 

“This is not just a misstep; it is a betrayal of the values our liberation struggle was built upon, all in the name of appeasing colonial powers that continue to support the genocide of Palestinians, a tragedy that (the)  ANC expressed itself fully through a resolution to downgrade the Israel embassy in South Africa, in its 2017 National Elective Conference. These same powers are brazenly behind efforts to destabilise and sow ethnic divisions in our country.

 “Here, at home, the United States has no moral or ethical foundation to lecture South Africa on governance or human rights, given its own sordid history of oppression, enslavement, and the exploitation of Africans. It is time for South Africa to stand firm against hostile foreign agents and not allow itself to be manipulated by economically pliable leaders to take the country back to colonialism.”

The capitulation in the face of foreign pressure gave the impression that some South Africans are “complicit and even benefiting from America’s racist agenda”, the foundation added.  

The Presidency did not respond to requests for comment by deadline. 

On the arrival of expelled South African ambassador to the US Ebrahim Rasool, the Sisulu Foundation said: “Historically, South Africa’s leaders, including former heads of state, handled diplomatic differences with world powers with great patriotism and a firm commitment to defending the nation’s interests. The current approach, however, is so compromised that it’s difficult to distinguish between the agenda of the US State Department and the South African Presidency, as it currently stands, it doesn’t look clear. South Africans did not elect their government to serve as a proxy for American interests in Africa.”

Meanwhile Rasool said he would have preferred returning after successfully achieving a number of critical milestones, including “destroy(ing) the clear and obvious lie of Afrikaner oppression, and white qualification for refugee status in the USA; successfully put in place a reciprocal trade and tariffs deal with the USA that would make both our nations great; reinstat(ing) the USA’s Aid funds” among others. 

He added that while the US relationship was one to fight for, it could not come "at the expense of our dignity because we will not be bullied".

Cape Times