The question that has been itching at South African minds and conversations recently relates to South Africa’s relationship with Russia. Where do we stand? And who constitutes the ‘we’ when the executive body of government, provincial parties and citizens all seem to have different views on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?
President Ramaphosa has called for mediation. Citizens have protested against the invasion, and the Western Cape Provincial Party has illuminated their support of Ukrainian citizens.
However, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recently reminded South Africa of its place by celebrating our diplomatic relations in a lengthy statement. It outlines the two states’ informal and formal ties. Of the latter, the Russian MFA announced a celebration of 30 years of diplomatic relations yesterday, expressing “strong bonds of friendship [and] cooperation established during the struggle against apartheid, which continue to develop today,” as per the MFA Russia’s official statement.
The DA has also reminded citizens of the ANC’s ties with Russia – even issuing an official media release indicating that “on the day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – thirteen hours after the invasion had begun, to be precise – the ANC Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, her department’s special advisor, and the Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), among others, attended a cocktail function at the Russian ambassador’s residence in Pretoria in honour of the Russian Defence Force.”
Beyond the champagne glasses reportedly enjoyed by some members of government, a South African media outlet has also shared the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs ‘celebration’ as sponsored content. In the media world, sponsored content refers to that which has been paid for.
The content dedicates paragraphs to the Russian MFA’s “South African friends”.
“We would like to congratulate our South African friends on this occasion,” the statement reads.
“The Soviet Union provided humanitarian, financial, organi[s]ational support, as well as training for military and civilian specialists among the black population of South Africa,” it proceeds.
The statement further expresses the Soviet Union’s work in attracting ‘the international community’s attention to the anti-human nature of the regime of racial segregation,” Soviet military specialists who are on the Wall of Names in Pretoria, and indicated work with the Moscow government on gifting “one of the city’s administrative and territorial unit (a street or a square) the name of Nelson Mandela in light of the personal input” of our first democratically elected president. Bringing the rest of the African continent into the mix, it also indicates that naming a Moscow space after Madiba represents the fight against the colonial yoke over Africa.
Their reminder
The statement addresses SA’s current bilateral treaties, and expresses the legal framework of our relationships, which “includes 80 treaties in various areas of cooperation.” It talks about cooperation between both states in the international sphere, from BRICS to the G20. In flattering SA further, the Russian MFA expressed that, “We see South Africa as the African continent’s voice in BRICS.”
Of the ANC, it says that “The United Russia and the African National Congress are maintaining steady party-to-party ties.”
In the future, the Russia-Africa summit was brought to readers’ attention which indicates Russian relations with the African continent.
“We are confident that together with South Africa, as well as other African nations, we will be able to make that page in history truly glorious.”
The final portion of the statement pertains to reminding SA of the ‘rich’ history once again, and a foreshadowing that the Russian MFA is “ready to expand this legacy further, explore new ways and areas of cooperation for the benefit of our nations.” The congratulatory statement reveals itself as an impulse for the future of the relations.
Analysis
What the statement is really indicating in my opinion, writes Cape {town} Etc’s Ashleigh Nefdt, is two-fold. Firstly, it presents itself as an informative for locals to see all Russia has done for and with South Africa, and secondly, it seems to serve as an obvious reminder for the government, whose stance toward the current conflict in Ukraine has been confused at best.
Using the media as an instrument, the piece negotiates with both government and the South African people to almost look past what’s currently happening in the current invasive conflict through the focus of refurbished past accolades. Its presentation as sponsored content is another conversation entirely.
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Picture: @CyrilRamaphosa