What: A peaceful protest against the delay of South Africa to condemn Russian invasion in Ukraine

Where: Outside the DIRCO in Cape Town (120 Plein St, Cape Town City Centre)

           Outside the DIRCO in Pretoria (Tambo Building, 460 Soutpansberg Rd, Rietondale)

Ukrainian Association in South Africa (NPO) calls on the South African Government to immediately condemn the Russian war in Ukraine, and to stand with the South African Constitution that respects Human Rights, Democracy and the International Law.

In six days of war, Russia has turned our whole country into a ruin. The hospitals, kindergardens, homes were bombed. Millions of Ukrainians are under permanent shelling by the Russian army. There are already 352  civilians, out of which 14 children, are killed, 1684 civilians, out of which 116 children, are wounded and over 500 000 of Ukrainians have been turned into refugees,  thousands of foreigners, including from South Africa, had to stop studying or working and have had to flee the country.

Russian invasion is not only about military aggression, it is also about disinformation. Russia is using a difficult African past to once again manipulate and cause suffering instead of peace.  Ukrainians in South Africa are condemning racism around the world, in every country. Racism and discrimination is a criminal offence in Ukraine. But humanitarian crises create more pressures for all foreigners, elderly, and children as the normal systems of protections stop working.

Russian missiles and tanks instead are non-discriminatory. They kill everyone, of all races without exception.

For six days, Ukrainians are defending our country risking their lives to defend their home. For six days we are waiting to hear the voice of South Africa that openly condemns Russian invasion and stops pretending that it is a Russia-Ukrainian conflict, but acknowledges UN documents clearly stating that Russia is violating the International Law.

We call South African government to stand on the side of the principles of sovereignty, freedom and democracy and to:

1)      Openly condemn Russian aggression on Ukraine

2)      Allow visa-free entrance to SA for Ukrainians whose family members are temporarily or permanently living in South Africa

3)      Stop economic cooperation with Russia

4)      Cease any cooperation or procurement in the nuclear sector with Russia

5)      Use all the political instruments such as BRICS and bilateral relationships to STOP Russian aggression

6)      Denounce the visa-free regime with the Russian Federation

7)      Cease the RT and Sputnik license on the territory of South Africa

Russian invasion is an attack on sovereignty, freedom, democracy, the civil population and the institutions of a free country. 

#StandWithUkraine #StopRussianAggression

For more information please contact us: +27 64 619 22 37 Olga (Cape Town); +27 76 236 58 24 Anastasia (Pretoria) or [email protected]; www.uaza.co.za

Ukrainian Association of South Africa (NPO # 189 – 705) unites South Africans and Ukrainians living in South Africa and aims to build a dialogue between the two countries.