Johannesburg: South Africa’s extreme leftist opposition party encouraged the leaders of China, India, and Brazil on Saturday to skip the BRICS conference next month in solidarity with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who will not be attending.
Putin’s anticipated visit had presented a diplomatic and legal quandary for South Africa, given he is wanted by the International Criminal Court, but it was announced earlier this month that he will not attend in person.
At an anniversary rally for the South Africa’s third-largest party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), leader Julius Malema called on the remaining BRICS leaders to also skip the August 22-24 summit in a show of support for Putin.
Malema stated that they insist on the People’s Republic of China’s presidency. In solidarity with Presidents Putin, China, India, and Brazil have decided not to attend the BRICS Summit.
Malema also condemned the United States for “jeopardizing” South Africa by demanding that it turn against Russian President Vladimir Putin in exchange for the continuation of the historic African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which offers duty-free access to most goods.
“They can take away AGOA and leave us with our sovereignty,” the 42-year-old stated to a stadium packed with over 90,000 fans dressed in the party’s signature crimson.
The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) was commemorating its tenth anniversary, which is inspired by the Marxism-Leninism.
The African Union and Cuban flags hang from the stage.
Malema slammed the ruling African National Congress (ANC), which has governed the country since it began functioning as a democracy in 1994, and has promised to dethrone them in the next election.
The EFF staged a national protest in March in an attempt to force President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign over his handling of the country’s sickly economy and crippling energy crisis.
Malusi Khwane, a 46-year-old father dressed in an EFF jacket and beret, told AFP he was “fed up with the ANC government.” “With EFF, things will change. With our help, they may have a better chance of winning the election next year,” Khwane added.
By Tanya Bajaj
