South African President Speaks Out Against US Sanctions On Zimbabwe

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for an end to sanctions against Zimbabwe, saying that it is one of the reasons citizens of Zimbabwe flood into South Africa.

Over the years, South Africa has experienced an inflow of Zimbabweans, both documented and illegal.

This has heightened tensions as some South Africans blame Zimbabweans for taking their jobs owing to the availability of cheap labour.

For several years, there had been incidences of violence erupting in various sections of South Africa, resulting in the loss of life.

On Sunday, Ramaphosa was addressed at Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein, Free State, for the ANC's 111th-anniversary statement.

Ramaphosa stated that the ANC must restore worldwide solidarity networks through party-to-party connections with past allies and forge new alliances with newly emerging progressive movements.

“The ANC supports the calls for the lifting of punitive sanctions against Venezuela, Iran, Cuba, Syria, Zimbabwe and elsewhere where such sanctions have been imposed unilaterally and unjustifiably, causing immense suffering and hardship to ordinary citizens of these countries,” said Ramaphosa.

He emphasised the importance of strengthening relations on the continent and the world at large.

“We must strengthen party-to-party and multi-party relations on our continent to turn consensus into concrete action. 

"The ANC should intensify engagement with Southern African liberation movements to ensure that common programmes are realised.”

Noting the persistent oppression and exploitation of peoples in various parts of the world and the weakening of global peace and stability, Ramaphosa said the ANC’s 55th National Conference resolved to intensify international solidarity in all forms.

“The ANC continues to pledge its solidarity with the people of Palestine for freedom, independence, justice and equality. 

"The ANC reiterates the call for the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, and we will continue to strengthen the long and traditional bonds with the Polisario Front,” Ramaphosa said.

According to SABC News, Defence Minister Thandi Modise stated over the weekend that most criminal syndicates in the country are not headed by South Africans.

She added that the government is frequently too afraid to call out foreigners who violate South African rules for fear of being labelled xenophobic.