The EFF and MK Party (MKP) have vehemently opposed home affairs minister Leon Schreiber's proposal to sign a deal that would allow Ukrainians with diplomatic, official and service passports to enter South Africa without a visa and vice versa.
Schreiber announced this on Sunday, saying Ukraine was a valued ally and friend to South Africa. He said Ukraine supported the country from the days of the struggle against apartheid to date.
EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys condemned the move as a “betrayal” of South Africa's solidarity with Russia.
“Schreiber's signing of the agreement is nothing but an attempt to undermine our relationship with Russia to please the Euro-Western imperialists and Nato's deep seated political agenda to expand into the Eastern part of Russia using neighbouring countries such as Ukraine as proxy,” Mathys said.
“In the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia is within its rights to pre-emptively defend itself when its sovereignty is threatened by the encircling of its territory by foreign powers in the form of Nata, who have a history of invading and toppling sitting heads of state through military operations. Recent history is a reminder of Nato's hateful imperialist agenda It evaded Libya and violently murdered president Muammar Gaddafi. It has left Libya, once a world-class country, in ruins.”
The presidency criticised Schreiber for announcing the agreement without formal authorisation and President Cyril Ramaphosa's signature.
Mathys argued the move demonstrates the DA's disregard for a government against imperialism. She reiterated the agreement would compromise South Africa's political and diplomatic ties with Russia, and said she hoped Ramaphosa does not sign the agreement.
The MKP has also urged Ramaphosa not to sign the agreement.
MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said: “We demand the government should [not] entertain the conclusion or signing of the agreement until the Russia-Ukraine conflict comes to an end, and Ukrainians democratically elect a legitimate leader. The government, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, cannot sign an agreement with an unelected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“The agreement with Ukraine is aimed at facilitating an influx and quasi-evacuation of defeated right-wing Ukrainians to South Africa by the racist pro-white imperialist DA.”
EFF and MKP urge Ramaphosa not to sign SA and Ukraine visa agreement
Image: R LOMBARD/GALLO IMAGES/ File photo.
The EFF and MK Party (MKP) have vehemently opposed home affairs minister Leon Schreiber's proposal to sign a deal that would allow Ukrainians with diplomatic, official and service passports to enter South Africa without a visa and vice versa.
Schreiber announced this on Sunday, saying Ukraine was a valued ally and friend to South Africa. He said Ukraine supported the country from the days of the struggle against apartheid to date.
EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys condemned the move as a “betrayal” of South Africa's solidarity with Russia.
“Schreiber's signing of the agreement is nothing but an attempt to undermine our relationship with Russia to please the Euro-Western imperialists and Nato's deep seated political agenda to expand into the Eastern part of Russia using neighbouring countries such as Ukraine as proxy,” Mathys said.
“In the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia is within its rights to pre-emptively defend itself when its sovereignty is threatened by the encircling of its territory by foreign powers in the form of Nata, who have a history of invading and toppling sitting heads of state through military operations. Recent history is a reminder of Nato's hateful imperialist agenda It evaded Libya and violently murdered president Muammar Gaddafi. It has left Libya, once a world-class country, in ruins.”
The presidency criticised Schreiber for announcing the agreement without formal authorisation and President Cyril Ramaphosa's signature.
Mathys argued the move demonstrates the DA's disregard for a government against imperialism. She reiterated the agreement would compromise South Africa's political and diplomatic ties with Russia, and said she hoped Ramaphosa does not sign the agreement.
The MKP has also urged Ramaphosa not to sign the agreement.
MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said: “We demand the government should [not] entertain the conclusion or signing of the agreement until the Russia-Ukraine conflict comes to an end, and Ukrainians democratically elect a legitimate leader. The government, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, cannot sign an agreement with an unelected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“The agreement with Ukraine is aimed at facilitating an influx and quasi-evacuation of defeated right-wing Ukrainians to South Africa by the racist pro-white imperialist DA.”
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