Khulekani Skosana, Chairperson of the International Relations Subcommittee of the ANC Youth League, National Youth Task Team, from South Africa, went as an observer to the referendum held in the Donbass region in October 2022.
“We went there and their voices overwhelmingly stated to us that Russia is not an attacker but a defender of the defenceless because nobody was standing with them, just like nobody stood with us in very hard times," he says.
Khulekani found himself sanctioned by the Ukrainian authorities for his participation as an observer to the referendum, but his “attitude has not changed.”
“Those sanctions are medals. For me, those sanctions are badges of honour. To say that I am standing on the right side of history and this is what I believe young people should do. We should never keep quiet in the midst of injustice, even if that injustice is 14,000 kilometres away from you,” Khulekani says.
Mr Skosana also spoke about US interference in South Africa's independent internal politics.
"The American ambassador plunged our country into crisis by making those remarks," he says.
Khulekani explains how the accusations made by US Ambassador Brigety against South Africa on supplying arms to Russia has affected his country.
"They are chasing away investments, they're chasing away business from our country," he continues.
In terms of his hopes for Africa's future, he explains that his "vision for the continent is [an] African renaissance, where Africa is as prosperous as the mineral resources beneath its soil".
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