South Africa at a crossroads: Lamola reaffirms non-aligned stance in a tense world

South Africa is navigating a world filled with uncertainty, trade wars, and resurgent global power plays, and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, says the country’s response will remain firmly non-aligned.

Speaking at the African Peace and Security Dialogue hosted by the Thabo Mbeki Foundation on Thursday, Lamola described the nation as standing at a “crossroads of history.”

“In this era of heightened uncertainty and the return of dangerous might-makes-right policies, new possibilities emerge alongside pronounced risks,” he said. “Yet from this vantage point, risks can become opportunities if nations choose co-operation over confrontation.”

Non-alignment in a volatile world

Lamola acknowledged mounting global pressures, including the United States’ unilateral tariffs, which some have suggested South Africa should simply follow.

“Our approach will continue to be based on a trinity of principles: Progressive Internationalism, Pan-Africanism, and Non-Alignment,” he said. “These principles are the backbone of what has made post-apartheid South Africa credible on the world stage.”

He stressed that non-alignment is not the same as neutrality. Instead, it is an active assertion of South Africa’s sovereignty, a principle allowing the country to chart its own course without becoming a pawn in others’ geopolitical games.

“True non-alignment means we think for ourselves. It is about shaping our own agendas, not just watching from the sidelines,” Lamola explained. “Nothing about us without us!”

Putting Africa first

Central to South Africa’s strategy, Lamola said, is a renewed focus on home-grown African solutions to the continent’s escalating conflicts and political instability.

“While we welcome initiatives from the US, Qatar, and others, African-led initiatives must be recognised and taken seriously. South Africa’s non-alignment gives us the courage to say ‘no’ to any power, East or West, whose demands would turn our country into a colonial outpost,” he added.

Delegates at the dialogue, which included civil society organisations and policy experts from across Africa, were reminded that peace requires inclusivity. Lamola urged that all stakeholdersgovernmental and non-governmental, have a voice in shaping solutions to conflicts.

A principle, not a position

Observers on social media responded positively to Lamola’s remarks, praising the articulation of South Africa’s long-standing tradition of principled foreign policy, though some critics questioned whether the country’s economic vulnerabilities would allow it to remain so independent in practice.

Historically, South Africa has maintained a delicate balance: advocating for African self-determination while engaging in global trade and diplomacy. Lamola’s address signals that the country intends to continue walking this tightrope, prioritising African agendas even amid global pressures.

As South Africa moves forward, Lamola concluded, non-alignment is both shield and compass: a framework that preserves sovereignty, champions the continent, and positions the nation to navigate a world where uncertainty is the only certainty.

{Source: The Citizen}

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