DA Leader John Steenhuisen Slammed for Fact Finding Trip to Ukraine Amid Russia's Invasion
- John Steenhuisen's visit to Ukraine in the midst of Russia's invasion has received mixed reactions from South Africans
- The Democratic Alliance leader explained that one of the motives behind the trip is to see what is happening in the country
- Some South Africans feel that Steenhuisen's trip could just be a PR stunt, while others want him to visit other war-torn countries
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LVIV - Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhusien has raised a few eyebrows with his recent expedition to Ukraine, where he will be spending six days in the war-torn country.
Steenhuisen's mission will include paying a visit to various parts of Ukraine to assess the damage caused by Russian troops as well as engaging with Ukrainian leaders from the different cities.
Source: Twitter
“We owe it to the people of Ukraine to tell the unfiltered truth about what is taking place here so the world can stand united in bringing this injustice to an end," says Steenhuisen.
Steenhuisen's fact-finding mission has received a combination of criticism and praise, with some people feeling that the DA leader should have not gone to Ukraine, according to TimesLIVE.
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The DA leader says what is happening in Ukraine affects everyone and not just European countries. Steenhusien states that the effect of the war will affect maize, fuel and cooking oil prices, which will affect poor South Africans.
He added that the atrocities in Ukraine cannot be ignored and people cannot remain neutral.
South Africans express opposing views about John Steenhuisen's fact-finding trip to Ukraine
Steenhuisen has been updating South Africans on his trip to Ukraine on social media. In a recent Twitter post, the DA leader reflected on the R350 grant most South Africans receive fromGovernment and say in future this grant will not be enough.
Steenhusien wrote:
"Ukraine’s problems are our problems too. As I write, the price of chips in SA school tuckshops is going up due to the soaring price of cooking oil. The R350 social relief of distress grant is looking more like a token gesture and less like anything which could relieve distress."
Some South Africans stated that Steenhusien should visit other war-stricken countries after his trip to Ukraine, while others felt that there are more pressing issues to be concerned about.
Take a look at what people had to say:
@SiphoMadyo said:
"Your next stop should be Afghanistan, Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Ethiopia, Sudan, Libya..."
@Giles43235302 said:
"Seriously? With everything going on and the extreme challenges facing us and you’re concerned about the price of chips in school tuck shops!?? "
@JohnMokwena_ said:
"You must do fact-finding in Western Cape about lack of service delivery, inequality, racism, unemployment, gangsterism and bad living conditions in black communities. What you doing now is just a PR."
@maggsnaidu said:
"Cooking oil is going up because of price gouging, not because of the conflict. SA produces sufficient sunflower seed and oil to be self-sufficient..."
@casparks1 said:
"The fact that John is over in Ukraine means he wouldn't have known that or just saw this as a fantastic photo op, which bombed and bombed badly... This is so embarrassing and so cringe, imagine being so disconnected thinking this would work."
DA leader John Steenhuisen on a fact-finding mission in Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion of the country
Briefly News previously reported that Leader of the Democratic Alliance John Steenhuisen has touched down in Ukraine, where he said war is raging. He's on a fact-finding mission to uncover the true situation in the country and determine what effects the war will have on Africa, particularly South Africa.
Steenhuisen also hopes there are prospects for peace and plans in place to end the war as quickly as possible.
During an interview with Newzroom Afrika, the DA leader said he believes that the South African government is pretending to be neutral over the war. Commenting on his visit, Steenhuisen said:
“Residental homes and buildings have been gutted. This is a war. It’s the first war of this scale taking place in Europe since the Second World War, and it has led to the largest displacement of people in Europe.”
Source: Briefly News
