The article “Defence Minister Modise’s dangerous dance with Putin”, by Ray Hartley and Greg Mills in Daily Maverick of 30 October 2022, reflects the all-too-familiar tendency to take cheap shots at government leaders by distorting the truth and toying with facts.
The article is not only sensational hot air, it is also political posturing masquerading as journalism. In a righteous tone characterised by moral condemnation, the writers come across as part of a desperate campaign to propagate a particular narrative. “South Africa can only be a loser if it’s selling weapons to Russia. And if it’s not, why did the defence minister not simply say so?” they assert. However, the apparently simple and straightforward issue that the article suggests is a bit more complex and not that simple.
It is not clear why the article failed to indicate or acknowledge that the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) is the controlling body that takes decisions to provide or deny permits for sale of ammunition, not the minister of defence.
In the interests of transparency and accountability, and to ensure that South African arms trade and transfer policies are in line with internationally accepted practices, the NCACC submits regular reports to Parliament. The latest report was for April to June 2022. Instead of embarking on a fishing expedition, I urge the two gentlemen to do what journalists do – study the NCACC reports, verify facts and then draft a well-informed article. The reports are there.
Having said that, we must also state that the diplomatic relations between South Africa and Russia have never been a secret, and the visit to Russia by Defence Minister Thandi Modise was consistent with South Africa’s foreign relations policy. Yet, for opportunistic reasons, the matter has been hijacked by some political parties and their media for cheap political point-scoring.
Modise remains loyal to the foreign policy of her government and will not pander to the whims of her detractors and their proxies in the media. Commitment to multilateralism is a central pillar of South Africa’s approach to global peace efforts.
In this regard, we believe that the United Nations (UN) must be afforded the space to play its role. Multilateralism remains an effective and sustainable approach to resolve global conflict. We are keenly aware that it is not always a popular position to take.
We appreciate the writers’ eagerness to nail their colours to the mast on the current conflict involving Russia and Ukraine and to trumpet their ideological loyalties. However, they must accept that South Africans do not necessarily share their overzealousness on this matter. South Africans have consistently chosen peace, dialogue and multilateralism. Modise has no intention to deviate from this principled position.
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We wish to remind the writers that the UN has not called for any sanctions against Russia. In the absence of a UN resolution, on which basis was South Africa expected to deny the Russian yacht permission to dock in Cape Town?
It is a matter of public knowledge that the European Union, Nato and the US are spearheading sanctions against Russia. South Africa is neither a member of Nato nor the European Union. Neither is it a colony of any Western country. As an independent and sovereign state, we reject any attempts to undermine South Africa’s right to independently conduct its foreign relations.
Your enemies are not our enemies
Instead of looking at this issue objectively, the writers choose to chill our spines with dire predictions of sanctions and economic devastations. In other words, we are called upon to pick a side and to surrender our sovereignty for fear of economic consequences. In their book, everybody must adopt an anti-Russian position merely on the basis of threats of sanctions, not reasoned rational debate.
Indeed, in an environment where oversimplification of complex issues is the norm rather than an exception, where selective morality and selective outrage characterise public discourse, and where pontificating from the pulpit has replaced rational engagement, a measured position calling for dialogue, peace and for cool heads to prevail would not be a popular one. We have always known that choosing a road less travelled would come at a high price.
Every time this partisan posturing and selective outrage, as reflected in the Daily Maverick article, is called out, they predictably dismiss it as “whataboutism”, without addressing the core and substance of the argument. To cry “whataboutism” does not explain away inconsistencies, nor does it absolve anyone from explaining their double standards and selective morality.
To those who seek to demonise South Africa’s relationship with the Russian Federation, we wish to say: Your enemies are not our enemies! South Africa will work with any partner in pursuit of her national interest. South Africa will oppose attempts to bully her into taking certain positions or be dictated to.
Their enemy is not our enemy. DM
Cornelius Monama is the media liaison officer and spokesperson for Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise.