A South African cabinet minister has told opposition leader John Steenhuisen to “stay in his lane” after criticising President Cyril Ramaphosa’s friendly stance towards Russia.
Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie’s rebuke came after Mr Steenhuisen, who serves as agriculture minister in the coalition government, rejected the president’s description of Russia as an “ally and friend.”
The clash highlights growing tensions within South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU), formed after no party won a majority in May’s elections.
Mr Steenhuisen, who leads the Democratic Alliance (DA), said: “Putin is your ally, Mr President, not South Africans.”
The dispute erupted while President Ramaphosa attended the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, which DA ministers are not attending.
“You are not speaking on behalf of the government, the president does,” Mr McKenzie told Mr Steenhuisen. “Go back to work now minister.”
The DA, one of ten parties in the coalition, has consistently opposed South Africa’s neutral stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mr Steenhuisen said his party “cannot and will not agree” to considering “an authoritarian regime” waging war against Ukraine as an ally.
The presidency has dismissed the criticism, highlighting the challenges facing South Africa’s first coalition government as it navigates foreign policy disagreements.
