By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Democratic Alliance (DA) Leader John Steenhuisen has arrived in Lviv, in western Ukraine, on a six-day fact-finding mission.
Steenhuisen is not the only one visiting Lviv this weekend, as film actress Angelina Jolie – who is special envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – surprised locals when she was also spotted in Lviv yesterday.
Steenhuisen announced his arrival in an audio clip on Twitter.
“In the era of fake news and propaganda, this is the only way to truly know what is happening,” said Steenhuisen.
“My predecessor and stalwart of South African liberalism, Helen Suzman, used to live and work by this motto. She often offered this advice to others: ‘Go see for yourself. Don’t take what the press tells you, don’t take what other people tell you; go and see for yourself.’ That is the purpose of my visit. We owe it to the people of Ukraine to tell the unfiltered truth about what is taking place there so that the world can stand united in bringing this injustice to an end.”
Steenhuisen said it is also important to remember that we live in a super-connected world where disruptions in one part cause major ripples everywhere else.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is not a European problem, it is a global problem. The knock-on effect of this war on our own fuel, maize, cooking oil and fertiliser prices will reach deep into the pockets of poor South Africans who can already not make ends meet, “said Steenhuisen.
“We dare not pretend that this is a war that has nothing to do with us. And we dare not pretend that remaining ‘neutral’ in this situation is admirable. When we have clear and undeniable evidence of injustice, we owe it to the victims to pick a side and speak out.”
Meanwhile, current affairs show Carte Blanche will be following another South African into Ukraine on tonight’s episode. According to Carte Blanche, in the five weeks of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, more than four million refugees have fled to neighbouring countries – many clutching pets in their arms.