Russia-South Africa Relations: It's Complicated

 The South African Institute of International Affairs recently posted a 16-minute podcast titled "South Africa and Russia: It's Complicated."

The Russia-China relationship generates uncomfortable headlines today.  It is based on the strong anti-apartheid position of the Soviet Union.  In addition, Vladimir Putin and former South African President Jacob Zuma solidified the ties.

Russia's invasion of Georgia, Crimea, and Ukraine complicated the relationship.  South Africa fell back on a policy of non-alignment.  By 2022, there was confusion in Pretoria concerning policy towards Russia.

Today, South Africa-Russia trade is negligible and Russian investment in the country is modest.  South Africa and Russia, both members of BRICS, agree on the need to revise the world order but not much else.  

Leader of South African Communist Party Visits China

 Friends of Socialist China posted on 25 March 2026 an article titled "South African Communist Party Visits China."

A delegation of the South African Communist Party (SACP) led by Solly Afrika Mapaila, the general secretary of the party, met in mid-March with Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC).  The SACP is part of the ruling coalition in South Africa.

The two parties agreed to strengthen communication, exchanges, and party building.  

South Africa Sides with Russia in Putin's War

 World Politics Review published on 16 March 2022 a commentary titled "South Africa Has Clearly Chosen a Side on the War in Ukraine" by James Hamill, University of Leicester.

Despite South Africa's professed neutrality, the author argues that Pretoria has sided with Russia for two reasons.  The first is its close bilateral relationship with Russia and its partnership with Russia and China more broadly within the BRICS forum that also includes Brazil and India.  The second explanation is the visceral anti-Westernism that permeates the ruling African National Congress.