In his weekly newsletter on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the Russia-Ukraine conflict should be resolved through mediation. This after the country abstained from voting on a  UN resolution reprimanding Russia last week and appearing conflicted on what stance to take.

Head of politics and international relations at Rhodes University, Dr Siphokazi Magadla, said it's not a matter of supporting one country over the other but supporting the country’s principles.

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Magadla said SA's neutral position on the conflict is a reflection of domestic turmoil, an absence of values and a governing party that is clearly in crisis.

“We are being eroded internally and that is beginning to express itself in our foreign relations,” she said.

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