On Wednesday, the UK-based British Broadcasting Corporation’s journalist, Stephen Sackur was roasted by a top official in South Africa’s ruling party, Fikile Mbalula over the issue of war crimes committed by Britain and other Western nations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also indicated and exposed the hypocrisy of the organization and the country when asked about the arrest warrant of Russian President Putin after the Russia-Ukraine war.
The saga began as African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Fikile Mbalula in an exclusive interview with the BBC stated that he would want Putin to visit Africa and that the country would welcome him as part and parcel of BRICS. The remarks by the African leader about Putin were made in relation to the Russian president visiting a BRICS conference in South Africa in August. Brazil, Russia, China, India, and South Africa make up the group.
“If it was according to the ANC, we would want President Putin to be here, even tomorrow, to come to our country. We will welcome him to come here as part and parcel of BRICS,” the leader said.
On this the journalist questioned the leader saying, “You would? You will welcome President Putin here? Right now? A man who is being investigated for war crimes by the International community?” The leader then nodded in affirmation and reiterated that the country will welcome him as a part and parcel of BRICS. He also said that though the country was constrained by the International Criminal Court treaty, a head of the state cannot be arrested anywhere.
South Africa is required to imprison Putin if he arrives in the nation since it has signed the International Criminal Court pact. Even while it hasn’t stated it clearly, the South African government has hinted that it won’t execute the arrest order if Putin attends the conference.
“Do you think that a head of state can just be arrested anywhere?” Mbalula cross-questioned the journalist and slammed the country and the media organization for being a hypocrite. Britain and other Western nations committed crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan and no heads of state were arrested, he stated.
[WATCH]: BBC Hard Talk interview with Stephen Sackur.
— African National Congress (@MYANC) May 23, 2023
A head of state cannot just be arrested anywhere. All we want between Ukraine and Russia is peace, that is what is important so that the world can thrive.
pic.twitter.com/aSYLHsRUpQ
He continued slamming the United Kingdom as he said, “You are making a lot of noise about putting a state in working for peace between Ukraine and Russia and you yourself have failed to resolve the war. Where are the weapons of mass destruction? Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair went to Iraq and claimed that they are weapons of mass destruction. Do you see anybody standing against the United Kingdom or Britain? More than millions of people have died in Iraq and Afghanistan and there are no weapons of mass destruction.”
The ANC leader further said that South Africa is well aware what the war between Ukraine and Russia is actually about and that the country demands peace. “We want peace and only that can help the world survive,” he countered ultimately leaving the BBC journalist red faced.
Notably, Mbalula last month referred to the United States as one of the countries ‘messing up the world.’ Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, the country’s insistence that it is taking a neutral stance in the conflict has raised the worries of the western world.
[WATCH]: BBC Hard Talk interview with
— African National Congress (@MYANC) May 23, 2023
Stephen Sackur. We are non-aligned when it comes to the Ukraine-Russia conflict. I met with the USA ambassador, and he has apologized for being overzealous, saying things that he shouldn't have said.#ANCRenewal
pic.twitter.com/JKQu2fEbVU
South Africa and Russia have a long history of cooperation given the former Soviet Union’s political and military backing for the ANC when it was a liberation entity striving to overthrow the racist apartheid state that oppressed the country’s Black population.
South Africa has also played and continues to play a major role in the economic development of Africa and it is an influential democracy in the developing world. The US and other Western allies of South Africa therefore are concerned that the ANC’s historical ideological links to Russia are currently bringing South Africa into Moscow’s political sphere. Notably, Africa, and China are also developing commercial connections.
Recently, the South African government came under increased fire on Wednesday for its decision to withhold cargo records pertaining to a Russian ship’s visit, which the US claims was used to gather a shipment of weapons for Moscow. The government has absolutely denied engaging in any weaponry trade with Russia, but it hasn’t ruled out the idea that someone else did so covertly. Cyril Ramaphosa, the president of South Africa, has mandated an investigation in the case.
