The Western Cape government has said it will not have any dealings with the Russian government for the time being.
This was in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Premier Alan Winde said the provincial Cabinet condemned.
He stated that the provincial Cabinet further resolved that no Russian embassy or consulate official or their staff would be invited to any event or meeting organised by the Western Cape government and that the Western Cape government would not attend any events or meetings organised by the Russian embassy or any of its consulates.
The Premier said he sought to meet with the Ukrainian Ambassador to South Africa to communicate this position unequivocally.
“The main concern is the illegal invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation and the ambiguous position taken by our National Government in response to it," the Premier said.
"It was accordingly decided that the provincial Cabinet would adopt a clear position on this conflict.”
“While doing so is not common for a province, it was viewed as essential to make clear to our own residents, to the people of Ukraine and to the rest of the world that we cannot and will not remain 'neutral' in the face of such a cruel attack on the democratic values that we all hold dear,” Winde said.
While condemning the attack on the sovereignty of Ukraine, he also acknowledged that many Russian citizens were themselves standing up and protesting against this war and that thousands have been arrested as a result. This anti-democratic clampdown also requires condemnation in the strongest terms, he stated.
“I repeat again, we cannot and will not remain silent in the face of an international crisis that threatens the very foundation of our liberal international order,” he said.