The Ukrainian leader is in SA for his first official visit, during which he is set to meet President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss expanding bilateral co-operation in trade, agriculture, and education.

The visit follows Ramaphosa's 2023 trip to Ukraine as part of the African Peace Initiative during the height of the Russia-Ukraine war.

However, the MK Party has expressed strong opposition to Zelensky's presence, citing SA's alignment with Brazil, Russia, India, China and SA(BRICS) nations.

Speaking to the media, MK Party Spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela criticised the meeting, stating, "We are saying as members of MK we are members of BRICS. Ukraine is not associated with us in any way, so why are we having discussions with this individual? Why here?"

Ndhlela also took aim at Ramaphosa, accusing him of creating unnecessary problems for SA. "Ramaphosa must not bring us problems that we don't have. He himself is a liability. Even the same Government of National Unity that he brought using the black vote and giving racists that went to Ukraine from the Democratic Alliance went and lobbied the same government, only to find that there is racism against our Africans when that war started," he said.

--SABC/ChannelAfrica--