ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula accuses US for double standards on human rights, comparing Putin's treatment to Israel's defence
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ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has again taken a swipe at the US government, accusing it of hypocrisy and its use of veto power in the United Nations Security Council to shield Israel from accountability while bullying other nations.
“The world will not forget that the United States has used its veto power in the United Nations Security Council 48 times over the decades to block any attempts to hold Israel accountable for its illegal actions and violations of international law. Meanwhile, other nations are expected to be held accountable,” he said.
This is after the South African government took the “apartheid” Israeli regime to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), holding it accountable for its actions in Gaza and against the Palestinian people at large.
Thousands of people, including women and children, have died in Gaza after Israel launched an attack on them since October 2023. But the US still stood by Israel.
Mbalula made the remarks at the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) national congress in Boksburg on Wednesday.
Mbalula told the gathering that the geopolitical landscape was undergoing significant shifts with the rise of ultra-right governments that exhibit fascist characteristics and were determined to revive the racist tendencies of the past.
This month, the Trump administration's decision to expel South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool from Washington marked a significant low in deteriorating diplomatic relations between the two nations, a rift largely driven by tensions surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict.
“These forces drive neocolonialism and modern-day imperialism, entrenching racial inequality, disregarding human solidarity, and promoting war and ethnic cleansing.
“Comrades, these developments are fuelled by a new wave of disinformation that has replaced diplomacy and intelligence. This is driven by unchecked greed and the relentless pursuit of commercial interests at any cost,” he said.
Mbalula emphasised the global double standards surrounding human rights, drawing a compelling comparison between the treatment of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the defence of Israel.
“Consider the situation between Ukraine and Russia-President Putin has been declared persona non grata and faces charges of human rights violations, yet others committing similar acts are exonerated.
“This is the hypocrisy we are talking about. We advocate for a rules-based system where all nations are treated equally,” he said.
He, however, reiterated South Africa's unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Mbalula stated that they will continue to support Palestine.
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