Cape Town - The lighting up of the Western Cape legislature building in the colours of Ukraine's flag, to show support following the Russian invasion, has opposition parties calling the move “a gimmick” and “absurd”.
On Monday, Western Cape legislature Speaker Masizole Mnqasela took the decision to illuminate the building, 7 Wale Street, in the blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag colours – calling it a peaceful act of solidarity with “this member state of the United Nations”.
Ukraine is facing a devastating attack and invasion by Russia.
Invoking the words of the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who said: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor,” Speaker Mnqasela invited MPLs to attend the lighting ceremony.
“The invasion by Russia has led to massive human rights violations and the contravention of international treaties and protocols, affecting the sovereignty of Ukraine and its people,” Speaker Mnqasela said.
Reacting to the illumination of the building, ANC chief whip Pat Lekker said the party was “flabbergasted”.
“In inviting the leaders of political parties and others to this publicity gimmick, the speaker claims the Western Cape provincial Parliament is committed to the values of peaceful co-existence, human rights, freedom and democracy,” said Lekker.
Lekker said Speaker Mnqasela, who is a member of the DA, could not be trusted and that the ANC would have been less cynical of his motives if he had called for the legislature building to be illuminated in the colours of the Russian Federation and with Palestinian flags as well.
“But we know what’s going on here. This is an attempt by the Speaker to give the impression the Western Cape is an enclave at the foot of Africa. It isn’t, and is a part of a united democracy,” said Lekker.
Rejecting the invitation to the illumination ceremony, Lekker said that President Cyril Ramaphosa had spoken for South Africa on the conflict between Russia and the Ukraine.
The Western Cape Provincial Parliament building in Wale Street, Cape Town lit up in blue & yellow 🇺🇦#Ukraine #UkraineInvasion #Russia #RussiaUkraineWar pic.twitter.com/HBuEqveT8o
Last week, President Ramaphosa called for the intervention of the UN Security Council in the conflict in Ukraine, saying it was not necessary for people to be killed when there was an option of engagement.
“The speaker does not speak for our country. We will not be used in this attempt at one-upmanship. We will not be part of tonight’s opportunism,” Lekker said.
Meanwhile, the Al Jama-ah party, in the Western Cape, has strongly denounced the legislature’s show of solidarity with Ukraine.
Al-Jama-ah’s national spokesperson Advocate Shameemah Salie said that while they regretted the loss of lives in the conflict, they were not surprised by the DA showing solidarity for Ukraine, which she said is a strong ally of Israel.
Al-Jama-ah MPL Ghalil Brinkhuis said: “It is absurd of Speaker Masizole Mnqasela to say that the province will not remain silent on any human rights abuses.
“Just last year, he silenced me when I delivered a Members Statement – calling on the legislature to show solidarity with Palestinians. Palestinians’ lands are illegally occupied by Israel,” said Brinkhuis.
Responding to the uproar, DA chief whip Mireille Wenger said: “No matter the trade relations and political ties with Russia, the invasion of a sovereign nation goes against every value that our democracy enshrines.”
She said it was deeply disappointing that the ANC and Al Jamah had decided to walk away from showing solidarity with the Ukrainian people in their hour of need.