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President Putin and President Jacob Zuma believe their countries have a good basis for increasing cooperation.
President Putin and President Jacob Zuma believe their countries have a good basis for increasing cooperation.
It may be interesting to know that in 1923 South African Communists sent 1300 pounds sterling and 1600 sacks of corn and flour to help those who suffered from hunger in the USSR. In 1942-1944 South Africans delivered aid to the Soviet people fighting Nazism. Many moments in the history of bilateral relations are yet to be explained. For instance, it is still unclear who insisted upon establishing diplomatic relations with the regime of apartheid in its last days instead of waiting for the new democratic government to come to power. Evidently, the goal was to undermine the relationship between Russia and the administration led by Nelson Mandela. As a result, the visit of Mandela to Russia was postponed more than ten times!
Comment: Direct contacts between the former USSR and the ANC were established on a regular basis during 1963. In the era of the USSR, the latter was one of the key supporters of the struggle for liberation in South Africa. With the dissolution of the USSR, South Africa became the first African state to recognise the independence of the Russian Federation. Full diplomatic relations were established between South Africa and the Russian Federation on 28 February 1992.
The cooperation between Russia and South Africa has always been very practical. The African National Congress came to power in 1994. It had been receiving assistance - including military aid - from the USSR for more than forty years. In 1969 Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of African National Congress, was on the verge of debacle. Hundreds of its Soviet Union trained fighters were saved by evacuation to the USSR. Twenty-five years later they dominated the ruling cabinet and some of them are still holding positions in the South Africa's government. But Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years in jail and he was not among those who enjoyed warm relations with the USSR.
Comment: Russia and So. Africa, regardless of past histories, are looking to the future, one of cooperation and respect. It is sickening, in comparison, to comprehend the vision and actions of the US/NATO cabal which can only dead end.