SA could pay dearly for Venezuela stance, warns analyst

SOUTH Africa should brace for a strong American response for its call on the United Nations Security Council to urgently address the US’s military strike on Venezuela, says political analyst at the North West University, Professor Andre Duvenhage.

The message sent by the US’s strike on Venezuela to many countries is that "the Americans are prepared to act and this is also applicable to South Africa”, he said. 

“By no means I am going to argue that the Americans are right by taking over the government of Venezuela because to me that is, in a way, similar to the Russian attack on Ukraine and I am against that attack by the Russian against Ukraine on principles of sovereignty and the same applies to America taking on Venezuela. Although, I think the Americans were a lot more successful than the Russians. But I have never heard South Africa complain about the Russians' attack on Ukraine,” he said.

His remarks come after the Department of  International Relations and Co-operation called on the UN Security Council to urgently convene to address this situation as the body mandated to maintain international peace and security.

Duvenhage, however, criticised the SA for being inconsistent when it comes to its position on international conflicts between countries.

“I believe that there will be action taken against South Africa at the time when the relationship is at an all-time low,” he said.

According to Duvenhage, SA’s position can become very costly for the country “economically but it can also activate actions against the leadership”. 

“From a strategic point of view I think South Africa should reassess its position. I won’t go for principle at this point if I am South Africa. We are too guilty in too many contexts. I would rather follow a more pragmatic approach, looking at strategic value and what can we benefit from that.”

Meanwhile, the Department of International Relations and Co-operation’s head of public diplomacy, Clayson Monyela, said his call on social media for South Africa to revive a nuclear weapons programme was ‘poorly framed’.

“The comment led to misunderstandings as it often happens on social media, that's why it was deleted. I have no issues in apologising for that. SA remains committed to a nuclear free world (Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons) except for scientific, medical and energy use etc. That remains the policy position of the government.”

Cape Times