Ramaphosa’s former adviser Bejani Chauke part of Africa’s Russia-Ukraine peace initiative

22 May 2023

South Africa has sent a team of high-level officials to Ukraine and Russia for a peace initiative by six African nations. Controversial voluntary special adviser Bejani Chauke is part of the team.

Speaking at a media briefing on Monday, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed that a close ally of President Cyril Ramaphosa, Bejani Chauke, is one of the officials who will be working on the preparations for the Russia-Ukraine peace talks led by African countries.

Chauke resigned as Ramaphosa’s adviser in March, giving up a handsome paycheck, only to assume another advisory position pro bono. At the time, Magwenya described the position as a part-time role, similar to that of an investment envoy.

On Monday, Magwenya said, “Preparations are under way for a delegation of heads of states who are part of the African leaders’ peace mission to Ukraine, to travel to Moscow and Kyiv.

“Yes, Mr Chauke is part of that team. Last week we issued a statement which clarified Mr Chauke’s role alongside other advisers. Mr Chauke remains, which he does on a voluntary basis.”

Chauke quit his job in the Presidency while under fire for his alleged involvement in the Phala Phala farm forex theft scandal. According to an affidavit submitted to the Public Protector by the former head of the presidential protection services, Major-General Wally Rhoode, Chauke travelled to Windhoek for an undisclosed purpose in June 2020.

He is said to have met Namibian President Hage Geingob shortly after Namibian authorities arrested the main suspect in the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars from Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm.

He has, however, repeatedly denied any links to the scandal.

Chauke first came to the fore as Ramaphosa’s campaign manager in the ANC leadership race in 2017, when Ramaphosa beat Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. He has since been accused of paying ANC conference delegates in return for votes at the party’s 54th and 55th national conferences.

He failed in his bid to become the party’s treasurer-general at the 55th conference, but made it on to the National Executive Committee, the party’s highest decision-making body between conferences.

The peace mission

Ramaphosa made an official announcement about the peace mission last Tuesday during the state visit of Singapore’s Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong.

The other countries in the delegation are Zambia, Senegal, Uganda, Republic of Congo and Egypt.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had adverse effects on economies around the world and poses a threat to global food security.

“The President has directed that we look at all the peace plans and look at consolidating that information… to engage around the key points. What is important at the moment is to get to… a cessation of hostilities so that a conducive environment for dialogue can then be created,” said Magwenya.

“We have a severe threat to food security as a continent. We have seen the increase in prices for grain and fertiliser. The cost of not acting will by far outweigh the costs that any of the six countries are going to incur as a result of the peace mission.”

Read more in Daily Maverick: Russia relay — Presidency’s intelligence minister jets off to Moscow a week after the army chief’s visit

South Africa is also trying to salvage its relations with the US after the US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, publicly announced that the South African government had supplied weapons to Russia. Brigety claimed weapons and ammunition were loaded on to the Russian cargo ship Lady R at the Simon’s Town Naval Base in December 2022.

The Presidency has since announced that there will be an inquiry into the matter. While a judge has already been appointed to head the inquiry into the sale of weapons, the Presidency is still working on the terms of reference.

Magwenya did not disclose the name of the judge. DM

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The peace mission