The complex web of politics and international relations involves the ANC-led government in South Africa navigating its relationships with the US, Russia, and Ukraine, while President Ramaphosa plays a crucial role in shaping these dynamics.

South Africa’s stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine demonstrates that the country’s crisis of governance is not confined to the domestic scene. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s approach to the war has been afflicted by the same blend of ineffectual leadership and ideological grandstanding that characterizes his domestic performance.