US has good relationship with SA, but it’s not an ally of the ANC – Mbalula

African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says he does not expect South Africa’s relations with the United States to be strained by the party’s political stance on Russia.

The ruling party’s relationship with Russia has always been subject to criticism, with the pressure to denounce the country mounting after its invasion of Ukraine.

In March, Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Naledi Pandor co-chaired the 17th South Africa-Russia Joint Inter-Governmental Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation with Russian Minister Alexander Kozlov.

ALSO READ: ANC visit evidence of strengthening SA/Russia ties, Putin’s safety

At the time, Pandor described Vladimir Putin’s United Russia Party as “a longstanding ally and friend to the ANC”.

“There are some who don’t wish us good relations with an old, historical friend. We have made it clear that Russia is a friend and we have had co-operative partnerships for many years, including partnerships as we combated the apartheid regime,” Pandor said.

South African weapons to Russia?

On Thursday, US Ambassador Reuben Brigety’s ruffled the ANC’s feathers after alleging South Africa had provided ammunition to Russia.

The South African government denied the claims on Friday, after announcing it would establish an independent inquiry to investigate the allegations.

ALSO READ: Ukrainian rights activist calls for SA not to allow Putin to attend Brics

“There is no official authorisation for weapons to be sold to Russia and Ukraine. Whether weapons were loaded or not; that’s another matter. There is no authorisation, and if the weapons were loaded in the vessel, the inquiry will determine that,” Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told Radio 702 on Friday.

US not ANC’s ally

Briefing members of the media ahead of a series of engagements by the ANC national working committee on Friday, Mbalula said although the US had good relations with the SA government, it had “clashes” with the ruling party.

Responding to Brigety’s allegations, Mbalula said the ANC was “taken aback by the comments of the US ambassador. We are a decent organisation which is governed by decorum”.

ALSO READ: Afro-pessimists want SA to arrest Putin to destabilise us – Mahumapelo

“We speak to people; we don’t talk past them. The United States, in terms of the ANC as a party, is not an ally of the ANC. The United States, in terms of governance, has good relations with ANC government and the people of South Africa from the point of trade relations and it has been like that for the longest of time.

“There are clashes which we have at the party level with the United Sates in terms of the ideology, which is very clear we don’t share. And there is no problem with that. We don’t agree with them when it comes to the [Russian] blockade.

“We don’t agree with them in terms of the multilateralism, we advocate for a multi-polar world. We don’t agree to the policy of unilateralism which has brought shame and disaster in the world, starting from Iraq, Afghanistan and now what is happening in Libya.

ALSO READ: SA govt denies US claims of supplying weapons to Russia, clarifies inquiry establishment

“We don’t believe in war. We believe in peaceful resolution. We are very clear on Ukraine-Russia situation. We are non-partisan and nobody is going to [change our position on this matter].”