DA wants answers over the Russia-Ukraine peace mission

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The Democratic Alliance says it is demanding answers on what it terms an “utterly shambolic peace mission” which President Cyril Ramaphosa and other African heads of state concluded earlier today.

The Presidency says Ramaphosa has concluded the two-day working visit to the Ukraine and Russia where African leaders proposed a path for peace to the 16-month long conflict.

The plane carrying journalists and security personnel that was supposed to accompany President Ramaphosa to Ukraine and Russia but was grounded in Warsaw, Poland, was now expected to fly back home this morning.

Polish authorities refused over 120 South African presidential security guards and journalists permission to disembark from an aircraft for 26 hours. Reasons that Polish authorities gave for the decision include permits which were not in order and they were not informed about some of the people on board.

DA’s Shadow Minister for International Relations and Cooperation DA’s Emma Powell says they the presidency has disgraced the country.

“It’s clear that that over the past two days, the presidency has disgraced South Africa on the global stage and that this so-called peace mission has been utterly shambolic,”she says.

“Not only did the presidency lie about being aware of missile striker in Kyiv while the so-called peace mission was in town, but the administration’s sheer incompetence, which ended up causing a plan-load of bodyguards, journalists, and apparently unauthorized weapons, to be denied entry into Poland. So, the DA is now submitting a series of urgent parliamentary questions.”

Powell says the party has submitted a series of parliamentary questions over the matter.

“We want to understand the full cost to the people of South Africa, of this utterly shambolic political stunt. We have requested the full flight manifest and we have also submitted questions to the presidency to obtain a detailed breakdown of the security detail that was accompanying the president.”

DA to submit parliamentary questions on cost of Ramaphosa’s Russia-Ukraine trip:

Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, but has faced tough resistance from Kyiv’s troops including a current counteroffensive.

Ukrainian soldiers are making slow but steady progress in the south of the country against occupying Russian troops. In a statement the Presidency says Ramaphosa is encouraged by the warm reception that the delegation received from the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia. It says the proposals presented by African leaders have created the foundation for future engagements that will contribute to the road to peace. The proposal includes the de-escalation of the conflict, the release of the prisoners of war and children and adherence to the principle of the UN Charter on Sovereignty.

President Ramaphosa on Ukraine-Russian peace mission: