President Ramaphosa Slams European Leaders For Adopting Omicron Colonial Mentality

By Mark Anderson in London South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has castigated the European leadership, urging them to stop treating Africa as they did during colonial years. Ramaphosa told other heads of African states meeting in West Africa, Dakar, Senegal early last week how he was deeply disappointed by the panic reaction of Western countries which immediately imposed travel bans on a number of Southern African countries including South Africa upon hearing of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron. Ironically it was the research work done by a Zimbabwean scientist Dr S Moyo based in Botswana. For his transparency the whole of Southern Africa has faced a blanket ban. An angry President Ramaphosa showing signs of self-control used the West Africa meeting to deliver his rebuke of the Western world and called for respect of African states and not treat them as in the colonial years. "After the Omicron variant was announced, I was due to travel to West Africa and travelling in the wake of Omicron I received calls from four Presidents," said Ramaphosa They were anxious to know if the South African President was coming or not.