Lamola denies ANC is imposing its own foreign policy on the GNU

CAPE TOWN - The foreign policy of the Government of National Unity (GNU) continues to be a thorny matter, with parties like the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front (FF) Plus accusing the African National Congress (ANC) of foisting its own policy on the coalition government. 

When he delivered the budget for the Department of International Relations in the National Assembly on Thursday, Minister Ronald Lamola denied that this is the case.

He added that the GNU stance was shaped by key national documents and the Statement of Intent of the coalition partners.

Lamola said while the DA is free to travel abroad on independent international missions, it can only represent itself and not the country.

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The MK Party, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), ActionSA and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) are among the opposition parties that have called out government for what they view as hypocrisy in its foreign policy.

The DA’s Emma Powell said the country did not have a foreign policy that represents all South Africans. 

“It is a foreign policy for the ANC’s friends, and the ANC now need to make peace with the fact that their time is up.”

But Lamola hit back, saying the DA cannot decide whether it wants to be part of the GNU and prefers being in opposition or somewhere in between. 

“We are not doing anything that you did not sign for in the Statement of Intent, where we deal with our human rights outlook, whether it’s in Gaza, it is part of the Statement of Intent. Whether it’s in relation to Ukraine and Russia, where we have played a role to bring back the children.”

Powell said the DA would continue on its missions abroad to shore up trust in the government, while Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane said it was high time an ambassador to the United States was appointed.