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Amid the backlash that Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga’s visit to Taiwan has caused, Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi has today through his spokesperson reaffirmed that he still stands firmly behind the island country.
Msimanga, who recently visited Taiwan, has been accused of treason by the ANC caucus in the Tshwane metro council.
In its year-end message this week, the South African Communist Party also condemned Msimanga’s visit and his “violation of the One China Policy”. The last time South Africa had relations with Taiwan was during apartheid. Diplomatic relations between South Africa and Taiwan ended under former President Nelson Mandela. The SACP labelled Msimanga’s trip as “proof that the DA will push South Africa back to the years of apartheid”.
However long before the furore over Msimanga’s visit, another opposition leader, Buthelezi and two IFP MPs earlier this year attended the inauguration of Taiwan’s first female president earlier this year without any backlash from ANC ranks.
Buthelezi has always been openly critical over South Africa’s policy to Taiwan.
Liezl van der Merwe, his spokesperson, told City Press: “President Mandela announced the withdrawal of diplomatic recognition of the Republic of China yet South Africa benefits from trade, investment and tourism from Taiwan, while our government felt it acceptable to take with one hand and close the door with the other.”
“The IFP believes that South Africa has much to learn from Taiwan. It is an economic powerhouse, despite having few natural resources. The IFP has great respect for what they have achieved. This remains our position.”
Msimanga’s office said in a statement that the creation of opportunities for the people of South Africa should be above party politics.
On Friday, the DA slammed the ANC for its “hypocrisy” when John Steenhuisen, DA chief whip in Parliament, tweeted that the website of South Africa’s liaison office in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, had been taken down.
“Why has this website suddenly been taken down? Obviously the exposed hypocrisy in the ANC made somebody sore?” he tweeted.
Why has this website suddenly been taken down??????obviously the exposed hypocrisy in the ANC made somebody sore? pic.twitter.com/16kUGeQPBj
— John Steenhuisen (@jsteenhuisen) December 30, 2016
Spokesperson for the department of international relations and cooperation, Clayson Monyela, however said it wasn’t about hypocrisy, but it was about people who should educate themselves on how international affairs work.
“The office has no diplomatic status. It serves an administrative function by processing travel documents and other needs from South Africans in Taiwan. Our policy is that Taiwan is not acknowledged as a separate country. People should educate themselves on the issues.”
The head of this office, Musawenkosi Aphane, was reportedly also at the same inauguration of Taiwan’s president. Monyela denied that it in any way indicated an endorsement.
On Msimanga, he said: “South Africa isn’t a federal state. Foreign policy is the responsibility of the national government and we cannot have different levels of government acting contrary thereto. This creates unnecessary confusion.”
When he was asked if action would be taken against Msimanga, he said there is nothing prescribed in law about sanctions.
“These issues will have to be discussed at an executive level.”
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