The Thabo Mbeki Foundation has issued a policy document examining rising diplomatic tensions between South Africa (SA) and the United States (US), describing recent diplomatic actions by Washington as deeply unfortunate.
Commenting on the document, Chief Executive Officer Max Boqwana criticised the decision by the US to impose visa restrictions on select SA government officials, characterising the bilateral dialogue as a conversation of the deaf.
Boqwana emphasised that SA cannot abandon its constitutional commitment to economic and social redress following 400 years of colonial oppression and racial exclusion. The foundation’s analysis draws historical parallels to how the US navigated its own historical challenges surrounding slavery and civil rights, arguing that Washington should respect SA’s sovereign efforts to rectify historical inequalities.
–ChannelAfrica–
