Johannesburg - ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said it is important to declare that BRICS and all its associated meetings and programmes are not opposed to any country.
‘’As BRICS, we refuse to declare any country as our enemy,’’ said Mbalula.
He said this while delivering the closing address at the three-day BRICS Political Parties Plus Dialogue in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, today.
Mbalula said the dialogue had reaffirmed their opposition to unilateralism, inequality, weaponisation of international finance and trade through unfair sanctions and economic blockades, as well as the waging of wars as a means to effect global control.
He said it was, therefore, appropriate that an expanded platform of the BRICS Political Parties Plus Dialogue be convened to mobilise greater support for the advancement of the progressive and common global agenda for change.
‘’BRICS will remain open to engagements with all. We welcome those who want to be part of the BRICS family of nations and want to guarantee their right to choose their development paths and social systems. Humanity has a beautiful diversity of cultures, religions, and civilizations, which is our common and shared heritage," he said.
Mbalula said the growing influence of BRICS and other multilateral forums, such as the G20, is evidence that countries are refusing to be spectators in this changing geopolitical environment.
‘’As this BRICS Political Parties Plus Dialogue showed, we are co-architects of change in our world,’’ said Mbalula.
He further said Dialogue would not repeat the mistakes of slavery, colonialism, patriarchy, and imperialism that sought to divide humanity and rule the world on the basis of oppression, discrimination, racism, injustice, and inequality.
Velaphi Mamba of PUDEMO said during a dialogue on Wednesday that the people of eSwatini were suffering under the leadership of King Mswati III.
‘’The state of politics is very concerning in eSwatini. Violent security forces killed over 40 people in 2021. No one was held accountable; King Mswati’s Amy massacred the people, and it is being swept under,’’ said Mamba.
However, Kingdom of eSwatini spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo rubbished Mabasa’s allegations, saying that he is one of the perfect latest editions to the version of hallucinations in their time.
‘’His Majesty King Mswati is not responsible for the so-called massacre of 40 people,’’ Nxumalo said.
Mamba urged SADAG region countries, including South Africa, to intervene.
‘’We shall not retreat on our call for democracy in eSwatini,’’ Mbalula said.
Yesterday, the Presidency confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not attend the 15th BRICS summit taking place in South Africa in August this year.
It was announced that the Russian Federation had sent an official communication indicating that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov, will be the leader of the Russian delegation.
‘’This announcement by the Presidency also helps put an end to months of international speculation about the circumstances under which the BRICS Summit in South Africa will be held. We look forward to getting down to the important work of the Summit and mapping out a strategic future for the BRICS partnership together with other south-south cooperation initiatives,’’ said the ANC.
The Star