The deputy Chairperson of the ANC International Relations Committee, Obed Bapela, has defended President Cyril Ramaphosa for congratulating his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on his re-election.
This after President Putin won a landslide re-election victory on Sunday, taking 87%of the vote and had his existing 24-year rule extended by another six years.
Speaking on claims that the elections in Russia were not free and fair, Bapela says they leave it on the election observers to confirm this.
“We leave it to those people who were there, and I think there was about 300 election observers from different countries. And then none of them have ever issued a statement contrary, because they were present, they were physically on the ground and therefore we take their word when they said that the elections were free and fair.”
Meanwhile, International Relations Expert, John Stremlau, says South Africa was right in terms of universal values to congratulate Putin.
“South Africa would have been out of step at a national interest level. By South Africa citing the universal values, it did help move the needle on that political process there. And so, to the extent that South Africa can appeal to the universal values it should do so, that is what it is known for.”
VIDEO: Russia Elections | Putin re-elected for fifth term with record 88% of the vote
