Tensions Rise as Zelenskyy Visits SA, MK Party Protests

(The Post News)- In a historical visit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in South Africa on Thursday, to meet with President Cyril Ramaphosa, which makes him the first Ukrainian Head of State to set foot on South African soil.

Zelenskyy was welcomed by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, ahead of the much anticipated discussion of highest regard, which is expected to cover the nature of ties between the two nations.

According to reports, even though the agenda for the presidential meeting is unknown, the two leaders are expected to center their discussion around on reinforcement of cooperation across various trade sectors.

Meanwhile, the Ukraine’s ambassador to South Africa, Liubov Abravitova said that she hopes, after this visit, the SA government will assist in bringing back over 19,000 abducted Ukrainian children who are in Russian territory.

However, Ramaphosa held a telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, 21 April — few days before Zelenskyy’s visit, where they discussed bilateral relations between the two countries.

“… 21 April 2025, I had the pleasure to once again interact with Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin over a telephone call… We further committed to working together towards a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” Ramaphosa said in a statement.

Ramaphosa also emphasized that South Africa will continue engaging all interested and affected parties, including the government of Ukraine on finding a path to peace.

UMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) and other political organizations, had previously scrutinized Zelenskyy’s visit, with the Secretary General of MK Party Floyd Shivambu regarding it as a “misguided decision”.

On a Facebook post by UMkhonto weSizwe Youth League (MKPYL), calling for demonstrations against the visit and describing it as “a calculated move that threatens our nation’s proud legacy of non-alignment.”

They said that this visit might drag South Africa into the center of a foreign war, and also called on the masses to protest against it.

“We, the people, must rise as one to reject this betrayal of our principles! For decades, South Africa has stood as a beacon of independence, resisting the pull of Western imperialism and maintaining ties with nations like Russia, who supported our struggle against apartheid,” they wrote on the post.

The MKPYL, criticized Ramaphosa, claiming that he is bowing into pressure from Western countries, which “undermines our historic stance”.

The march is expected to start at 8:00AM from the Union Buildings in Pretoria today.