Ukrainians in South Africa and their sympathisers on Tuesday continued their rolling protests against South Africa’s planned war games with Russia when they sailed close to the Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov in the Cape Town harbour to brandish posters of protest.

They called on Pretoria to cancel its maritime Exercise Mosi II with Russia and China and instead use the resources of the South African National Defence Force to help the victims of the current floods in parts of the country.

There was an appropriate symbolism about a small yacht full of Ukrainian protesters confronting the hypersonic missile-bearing frigate.

The protesters carried posters demanding “Keep Russian wars away from our shores” and “No Russian Missiles” as the crew of the frigate lined the ship’s railings to watch. Some of the crew used binoculars to inspect the protesters.

Harbour police in a dinghy kept close to the yacht but did not interfere with the protest. Dzvinka Kachur, a representative of the Ukrainian Association of South Africa, told Daily Maverick that the organisation had received permission from the port authority to sail in the harbour.

“Our aim was not to attack the ship. Our intentions are peaceful. We wanted to send the message that we do not welcome this extension of the Russian aggression against Ukraine into the Southern Ocean,” said Kachur, who was one of eight protesters on the yacht.

The Admiral Gorshkov slipped into Cape Town harbour on Monday morning after sailing down through the Atlantic where it conducted its own manoeuvres, including firing its 130mm cannons at a floating target, in preparation for Exercise Mosi II, the 10-day joint maritime drill with South Africa and China which is due to start off the KwaZulu-Natal coast on Friday.

The South African Police Service kept close to a yacht as it passed the Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov, which is berthed in Cape Town harbour, 14 February 2023. (Photo Supplied)

Ukranians Viktoriia Kordiumova and Dzvinka Kachur show their anger at the Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov, which is berthed in Cape Town harbour, 14 February 2023. (Photo Supplied)

Crew members onboard the Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov, which is berthed in Cape Town harbour, 14 February 2023. (Photo Supplied)

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Further protests planned

The Ukrainian Association of South Africa and other NGOs issued a statement saying they would hold another protest against Exercise Mosi II in front of the Russian consulate-general in Cape Town on Friday and then again at Umhlanga, north of Durban on Saturday.

“It is most unfortunate that South Africa has chosen to invite the Russian Federation to participate in war games off the South African coast between Durban and Richards Bay, at a time when Russia is engaging in the invasion of the sovereign state of Ukraine,” the statement said.

“The naval exercise not only falls on the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine on 24th of February 2022, but it also falls over the day commemorating the sinking of the troopship SS Mendi on the 21st of February 1917, during World War I, ‘The War to End all Wars’.

“These war games signify the end of South Africa’s ‘neutrality’ in what is essentially unprovoked and unjust military aggression in violation of the UN Charter, with global implications.”

Read more in Daily Maverick:

“Cape Town mayor says ‘voetsek’ to docked Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov“

“Controversial Russian frigate sails into Cape Town harbour ahead of contentious war games“

So far, Extinction Rebellion Cape Town, Kai Tikquoa Conservancy (George) and The Green Connection have also signed the statement and others are expected to also do so.

The signatories said they were concerned that by welcoming “Russian military aggression into the previously peaceful waters of the Southern Ocean”, South Africa had increased the risk of further confrontations with other trading partners, jeopardising its already precarious economy. 

“The Russian invasion has already impacted on our fragile economy by escalating the cost of wheat, sunflower oil and fuel costs, thus increasing our cost of living and impacting on the poor of our country.”

The statement added that South Africa was jeopardising its high moral ground as a country firmly opposed to the use of nuclear weapons by associating militarily with Russia, which had threatened to fire nuclear weapons in the war against Ukraine.

“Our concern is that these visiting vessels may be armed with nuclear weapons. The South African government must ensure that no nuclear weapons are brought into South African waters,” the statement said.

It said that South Africa was being used by Russia for propaganda, especially through the information that Moscow was putting out that a hypersonic Zircon missile — which the Admiral Gorschkov carries — would be tested during Exercise Mosi II.

“Such propaganda, even if it is a lie, benefits Russia by distracting media from losses and atrocities of the Russian army, but damages the relationship between South Africa and its key trade partners. We stand the risk of economic sanctions being imposed on South Africa as a result of our support for Russia, which will result in further economic hardship for our country.”

The signatories said the military exercise could affect the marine environment. With the poor state of the economy, the government should be keeping defence costs to a minimum, and rather spend the money on diesel fuel for Eskom to reduce rolling blackouts.

“We therefore call upon the South African government to call off the naval exercise, to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and to use the South African Defence Force resources allocated for this exercise to disaster relief desperately needed as a result of the recent floods in South Africa.” DM