Democratic Alliance DA member of Parliament MP Emma Louise Powell has resigned as the partys spokesperson on international relations.
In a statement announcing her resignation on Monday 28 July, Powell accused the African National Congress ANC and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation DIRCO of having relationships with authoritarian regimes.
Powell has been at the centre of tensions between the ANC and DA, the two largest parties in the government of national unity GNU, over South Africas foreign policy.
According to the Sowetan , a recent intelligence report handed to the National Security Council, which is chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa, accused Powell of undermining South Africas "international relations and domestic policy narratives" by spreading disinformation.
This followed a DA delegations working visit to the United States US in February which Powell led.
Powell hit back by accusing state security services of potential surveillance of an MP. She alleged that there was a clear attempt to tarnish and intimidate her.
Earlier this month, the Presidency also reacted strongly to Powells claim that the Trump administration had denied Ramaphosas US Special Envoy Mcebisi Jonas a visa and had refused to accept his credentials.
Emma Louise Powell resigns as DA IR spokespersonIn her resignation statement , Powell said she had spoken out against some of the most repressive and brutal regimes in the world.
Many of these regimes are more closely enmeshed with government leaders and DIRCO than the public realises, she added.
In defending South Africa's constitutional values on the international stage, I have been threatened, intimidated, harassed and illegally surveilled.