African National Congress (ANC) first deputy secretary general Nomvula Mokonyane on Wednesday dismissed notions that the ANC is anti-West.

She said this was untrue given South Africa’s struggle history and promotion of trade relations, and the fact that South Africa had also committed to United Nations (UN) resolutions.  

She called for mutual respect of the UN Charter ahead of the Brics Summit, in August, which is being closely watched owing to the possibility that Russian President Vladimir Putin would attend.

The Presidency has since revealed that Putin will not come to South Africa for the summit and will, instead, send Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The ICC has issued a warrant for Putin’s arrest for crimes against humanity, as the Ukraine invasion continues.

Mokonyane briefed the media on the deliberations of the Brics Political Parties Dialogue, which were taking place in Boksburg, where she warned that any attempt to be “arrogant” or bully on Putin issue had the potential to lead to a war situation.  

“This is a build-up to the main conference. Let us allow that to happen because what is important is that as South Africans we are not living on an island or in isolation. We have many countries represented here, and that are not here, looking forward to that summit in August. For us to be pushed into a situation where it must be us who decide who has to be here and who has not to be here because of very subjective interests, would be unfair,” said Mokonyane.

Attending the Brics Political Parties Dialogue are former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe and former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo.   

President Cyril Ramaphosa held a bilateral discussion with Obasanjo on issues relating to the African continent.