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Mr. President, let me be clear from the onset. The decision that your ANC government took to support Putin's murderous campaign in Ukraine does not represent the generality of South Africans. History will record this as a moral failure on the part of the ANC, not South Africans.

It was the ANC that unashamedly abstained from condemning Russia’s actions at the United Nations’ General Assembly. When you called Mr Putin to express your support for his bombing campaign in Ukraine, you were doing so on behalf of the corrupt and morally bankrupt ANC.

You did not speak on behalf of South Africans who are already paying a high price from your government's failure to effectively address rising levels of hunger, unemployment and food inflation.

Mr. President, Putin is killing innocent people. He has waged war against the democratic state of Ukraine. He is violating human rights, the global rule-based system and international law. Why is your government working tirelessly to appease Putin's threat to world peace?

While your government is busy playing Russian roulette with Putin, our farmers are already bearing the full brunt of your concomitant response to Putin's war in Ukraine. As we speak, Rotterdam is congested with cargo containers that were rerouted from St. Petersburg because of the disruptions brought about by this war.

The DA remains concerned that these delays will have far reaching consequences on South African habours which are already failing due to ailing infrastructure. Still, in the spirit South African Ubuntu, just as they did during Covid19, our farmers are donating some of their fruits meant for St. Petersburg to Ukrainians that have been displaced.

Hon President, stop your honeyed words with Putin. He is a warmonger. While you fail to condemn Russia, what is your government's plan to protect the poor against rising food prices and farmers against the rising oil price? Is it not time to consider suspending petrol levies, securing new markets for our farmers and creating public private partnership to:

• fix the ports,

• capacitate Forskor to produce more fertiliser,

• fix the broken animal health institutions.

The DA call on the department to stop the ill-thought Agricultural Produce Agents Amendment Act that’s going to close many markets if legislated in its current form. And we ask this house to seriously consider the amendment of Export Credit Insurance to include cover for perishable goods during unprecedent events.

Hon President, in conclusion, your own version of "quiet diplomacy" on Russia is making the world a dangerous place. Condemn Putin’s Actions Now!

Issued DA Member on the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform & Rural Development Noko Masipa