SOUTH AFRICA MUST NOT GET INVOLVED!

South Africa is a country born of negotiation, and tolerance. Whilst we are always in support of a cooperative manner of operating in the global sphere, it is important to understand that we are still a young democracy. In what has been perceived as a looming World War III, that could start from Russia and Ukraine being at loggerheads, it is important firstly for the South African government, represented by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, to ensure the safety of South Africans in the Ukraine. 

DIRCO needs to safely return South Africans who are stuck in the Ukraine. Many of these South Africans are young students, and the future of this country. 

Secondly, it is vital for DIRCO, and the South African government at large, as a nation built by the people, and a government voted in by the people of South Africa, to take heed of South Africans’ cry to not get involved in the war between Russia and Ukraine. Taking into consideration participatory democracy, the government needs to start with securing South Africans, and perhaps understanding our own safety and border limits before we make calls on a country that has explicitly stated that no external involvement will be appreciated. Russia has also stated very clearly that should external countries be involved there will be “consequences that they have never seen before”. 

South Africa has no business being involved in an impending World War III. Minister Naledi Pandor, please bring our people back. Bring our children, brothers, sisters and parents back. Do not get involved in this war. We as South Africans have our own problems, and we do not want to sacrifice any South African lives to a war that we have no business being involved in.