Cape Town - Former politician and anti-apartheid activist, Doctor Mamphela Ramphele, has slammed the ANC government over its relationship with Russia amid the war in Ukraine.
The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation partnered with the Ukrainian Association of South Africa for a temporary exhibition, the “Womanly Face of War”, by Ukrainian women artists depicting the impact of the war.
As chairperson of the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Intellectual Property Trust, Ramphele made the remarks during the Cape Town launch of the exhibition last Thursday at the Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation, Old Granary, District Six.
Ramphele said the government’s actions were embarrassing and an unforgivable way of dealing with the pain of injustice.
“They indicate just how quickly they have forgotten that we would not be free today had the world, the world’s progressive, not stood in solidarity with us,” she said.
The remarks came just days after Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise addressed the 10th Moscow Conference on International Security in Russia.
“I want to apologise on behalf of my government because it’s my government, whether I like it or not. They do not as Archbishop (Desmond Tutu) said when they refused the Dalai Lama to come into the country, they do not represent me in their neutrality.”
Ukrainian artist, curator and Sunseed Art co-founder Olesya Drashkaba said the war cannot only be thought of and seen from a male perspective, a male work or trouble.
The works by the four Ukrainian artists show women are not only depicted as victims, but represented 50 000 (30%) officers in the Ukrainian army.
On August 24, Ukraine will mark 31 years of Independence from Soviet the Union.
Activist and Sunseed Art co-founder Nataliya Popovych said: “We feel that there's always more solidarity among the women; women can never stay neutral. Women see the pain and the injustice, and they act on it. And our way of acting is to bring other stories to you (and) to learn more about your stories.”
The exhibition will be available for viewing at the Desmond and Leah Tutu Museum until August 24 from 9.30am-3.30pm daily.