The South African Government’s Stance on the Russia-Ukraine War as Reflected in the South African Newspaper Media

This paper analyses reports in the printed media in South Africa on the Russia -Ukraine war in the period 24 February 2022 to 15 September 2022. It aimed to establish the major issues covered in the media on the war which have a bearing on South Africa in particular. Those reports which provided factual detail on the war (mostly drawn from international media companies such as Reuters) were not included in the analysis. From this qualitative thematic analysis of a total of 524 reports relating to South Africa, several themes were identified. Firstly, the South African government’s abstentions on three UN General Assembly resolutions condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the reasoning behind its decision; secondly, critiques on and support for the government’s so-called ‘neutrality” stance; thirdly, explanations for the government’s stance as reflected in the media; and, lastly, the ways in which the war has an impact on South Africa. The government’s stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, particularly its abstention from voting on the UN resolutions and its pro-Russian bias, can be traced back to four important principles of its foreign policy. The first of these is its independence or non-aligned stance, and the second, its stress on the peaceful mediation of conflicts, which it has been emphasising throughout the war. Thirdly, there is its solidarity with parties and countries which supported the governing party in its national liberation struggle against apartheid (which explains its pro-Russian bias) and lastly, there is its anti-imperialist drive, which sometimes takes precedence over its commitment to human rights and democracy.