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In South Africa, the small protest held last week in front of the ANC (African National Congress) headquarters in Johannesburg, demanding a review of relations with Morocco, is spreading. Now, sections of President Cyril Ramaphosa's party are voicing the same demands, reports MAP.
«We call on the ANC to recognize Morocco's pioneering support for the fight against apartheid, as President Nelson Mandela acknowledged in his speeches, books, journals, and through several visits to Morocco», underline the signatories of this manifesto.
Indeed, the first delivery of weapons to the ANC fighters was Moroccan, in 1962. They recall that it is thanks to this military and financial aid that the ANC was able to form its armed wing. The kingdom, the authors of the memorandum affirm, also provided political support to their formation by allowing Mandela to open an office in Morocco.
Opposing the political stance taken by Ramaphosa toward Morocco, the signatories emphasize the need for the ANC and South Africa to enhance their strategic engagement with Morocco. This collaboration aims to align policies and programs that benefit African nations while contributing to the objectives of the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the progressive aspirations of both countries.
Ramaphosa facing pressure within his party
Regarding the Sahara issue, these sections of the ANC note that the majority of African countries support Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces. Consequently, they urge South Africa to advocate for a peaceful resolution of this dispute and to refrain from supporting parties advocating military actions.
However, a few days ago, President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed, from Algiers, his support for the Polisario. «South Africa remains concerned about the continued occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco. The people of Western Sahara have the right to determine their own destiny. The United Nations and the African Union must accelerate the process of resolving this issue, in accordance with the provisions of the 1991 ceasefire agreement, UN resolutions, and the legal opinions of international and continental institutions», he specified.
Since July 1st, a unity government has been in power in South Africa. The ANC has retained the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. «Our foreign policy is rooted in our history of solidarity with those fighting against oppression and occupation, we will continue to support the people of Western Sahara in their quest for self-determination», indicated Ronald Lamola, the new head of diplomacy, a few days after his appointment.
For the record, the ANC had sanctioned Obed Bapela, deputy and vice-president of the party's International Relations Committee, following his meeting on October 7th in Rabat with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita.
With this manifesto signed by several sections of the ANC, the ball is now in President Ramaphosa's court, as he must address his party base's calls for normalizing relations with Morocco. Ironically, in 2017, it was this same party base that blocked Jacob Zuma from pursuing a rapprochement with the kingdom following his meeting with King Mohammed VI in Abidjan.
