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Cyril Ramaphosa
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday formalizing his announcement earlier this week that he'll freeze assistance to South Africa for a law aiming to address some of the wrongs of South Africa's racist apartheid era a law the White House says amounts to discrimination against the country's white minority. As long as South Africa continues to support bad actors on the world stage and allows violent attacks on innocent disfavored minority farmers, the United States will stop aid and assistance to the country, the White House said in a summary of the order. The White House said Trump is also going to announce a program to resettle white South African farmers and their families as refugees. Trump was responding to a new law in South Africa that gives the government powers in some instances to expropriate land from people. The White House said the law blatantly discriminates against ethnic minority Afrikaners. The Expropriation Act was signed into law by South African
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa appeared to respond to threats from US counterpart Donald Trump by saying in his annual speech to the nation Thursday that his country would not be bullied." The comment by Ramaphosa was seen as a reaction to Trump's pledge to cut all funding to South Africa over a new land expropriation law although Ramaphosa did not mention Trump by name. We are witnessing the rise of nationalism and protectionism, the pursuit of narrow interests and the decline of common cause, Ramaphosa said at Parliament in Cape Town. "This is the world that we, as a developing economy, must now navigate. "But we are not daunted. We will not be deterred. We are a resilient people. We will not be bullied. We will stand together as a united nation and we will speak with one voice in defence of our national interests, our sovereignty and our constitutional democracy." That part of the speech was met with applause and cheers by members of Parliament and others attending Sou
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced stringent steps to control the increasing number of child deaths due to food poisoning from illegal pesticides across the country. Across the country, there has been a rise in reported cases of food-borne illnesses and deaths. A number of people are becoming severely ill and even dying after eating contaminated food. It has been found that some of the food items would have been purchased from spaza shops and street vendors, Ramaphosa said in a nationally televised address on Thursday. His address followed national outcries and attacks in townships on spaza shops by local residents. Spaza' shops are the name given to small, informal, mostly unlicensed shops, operated by foreign nationals in townships, largely by Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Somali and Ethiopian migrants. Some have been blamed for selling expired foods, with videos widely circulating of how brand name products were also faked by printing labels and packaging them with .
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on its BRICS partners to extend assistance in the industrialisation of the countries on the African continent. He said the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACTFA) has been unlocking massive opportunities for trade, investment and industrial growth and the continent seeks partnerships that would unlock the dynamism and potential of its 1.3 billion people. "The success of ACFTA requires a substantial investment in infrastructure. We, therefore, call on fellow BRICS countries to partner with us to build the roads, ports for imports and exports, rail, energy and telecommunications networks that will enable Africa to industrialise and trade with other countries across the world," Ramaphosa said at the BRICS Business Forum in the Russian city of Kazan. Making a plea to the grouping to extend support to women-owned and small businesses, he said, "Africa is home to a population that is young, digitally connected and increasingly ...
South Africa's election has decided little, other than the African National Congress that liberated the country from apartheid in 1994 has lost its 30-year majority. It remained the biggest party, though. With no one holding a majority, South Africa's party leaders are embarking on coalition talks to form a government. South Africa has never had to do this due to the ANC's long dominance. There are four major political parties and at least eight with significant shares of the vote after last week's election. It'll be complicated. Here's a guide to some of the key figures and what might be coming next as South Africa enters uncharted territory. PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA Once a protege of Nelson Mandela, Ramaphosa (71) has now overseen the worst election result in the ANC's history. He is under pressure within his own party as well as with voters but he managed to laugh when an official made a slip on Sunday and referred to him as the "extinguished" president rather than distinguish
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called on Sunday for parties to overcome their differences and find "common ground" to form the first national coalition government in the country's young democracy. South Africa announced its final election results on Sunday, confirming that no party won a majority, and unprecedented coalition talks were starting to find a way forward for Africa's most advanced economy. Ramaphosa's African National Congress (ANC) had already lost its 30-year majority after more than 99 per cent of votes were counted by Saturday and showed it couldn't surpass 50 per cent. The ANC received around 40 per cent of the votes in last week's election in the final count, the largest share. Without a majority it will need to agree on a coalition with another party or parties for the first time to co-govern and reelect Ramaphosa for a second term. South Africa's national elections decide how many seats each party gets in Parliament and lawmakers elect the president ...
Incumbent President Cyril Ramaphosa's African National Congress (ANC) party, which has ruled South Africa since the advent of democracy 30 years ago, is likely to lose its majority after voters overwhelmingly turned to alternative parties in the just-concluded polls, with a coalition government now most likely. General elections were held in South Africa on May 29 to elect a new 400-member National Assembly as well as the provincial legislature in each of the nine provinces. As vote counting continued at lunchtime on Friday, the ANC received only 42% of the confirmed 62% of votes cast. The Democratic Alliance was next with 23%. Analysts had earlier predicted that the ANC would not get more than 42%. The ANC has been worst affected by the emergence of the Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party formed by former president Jacob Zuma, who was ousted by the ANC after huge public outcries about his alleged role in enabling massive looting of state resources. In Zuma's home province of KwaZulu-Nat
For years, the African National Congress rose above politics in South Africa. It was a movement dedicated to freeing Black people from the oppression of white minority rule and to the lofty principle of democracy, equality and a better life for all South Africans. It was widely revered as a force for good under Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison for his opposition to the apartheid system of racial segregation. But 30 years after the ANC transformed from a liberation organisation to a political party in government at the end of apartheid in 1994, it faces growing dissatisfaction from South Africans who feel it has failed to live up to its promises. South Africans will vote on May 29 in a national election that could be the biggest rejection yet of the ANC, which has governed one of Africa's most important countries largely unchallenged since it led the fight to bring down apartheid. Now, the ANC is for many a byword for graft and failed government. Here's how the famous pa
South Africa will hold its national election on May 29, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Tuesday. Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress, the party once led by Nelson Mandela, is expected to face a stern test to retain its majority in South Africa's seventh fully democratic national election since the end of the apartheid system of forced racial segregation in 1994. Before 1994, Black people were not allowed to vote. The ANC, which led the anti-apartheid movement, has won every national vote by a clear majority since the racist system was dismantled and has been in government for 30 years. But several polls this year have predicted it may slip below 50 per cent of the vote in a general election for the first time. South Africans have grown weary of a troubled economy and record unemployment, a stream of corruption allegations against ANC figures, and an electricity crisis that has resulted in daily rolling blackouts for homes and businesses. If the ANC slips below 50 p
As the African Union became a permanent member of the G20, President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosaon Saturday said the "global reconstruction" post the Covid 19 pandemic has brought a unique opportunity to accelerate transition to low carbon, climate resilient, sustainable societies. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the South African President expressed delight over the African Union becoming a member of the G20. "Global reconstruction in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity to accelerate the transition to low-carbon, climate resilient, sustainable societies. Developing economies are bearing the brunt of climate change, despite carrying the least responsibility for this crisis," Ramaphosaon said on Saturday. "As African and other developing economy countries, we face the task of meeting our climate commitments in the midst of significant developmental challenges like poverty, inequality and unemployment. "Climate change, environmental degradation, ...
Art works and traditional items reflecting Indian heritage were the gifts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's choice for some of the world leaders at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg. He presented a pair of 'surahi' from Telangana to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Nagaland shawl to his wife and the first lady of the host country, officials said. They noted that the 'bidri vase' is a purely Indian innovation exclusive to Bidar, a Karnataka city. It is cast with an alloy of zinc, copper and other non-ferrous metals. Pretty patterns are engraved on the casting and inlaid with pure silver wire. The casting is then soaked in a solution mixed with special soil of Bidar fort which has special oxidising properties, they noted. This causes the zinc alloy to turn into a lustrous black leaving the silver inlay intact to contrast stunningly with the black background, they added. The gift also carried silver 'nakkashi', whose patterns are first drawn on paper and then transferred on
The leaders of the BRICS nations on Thursday decided to admit Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as the new members of the grouping, sealing a long-drawn process. The decision was announced by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at a joint media briefing along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The new members will become part of BRICS with effect from January 1, 2024, Ramaphosa announced. He said the decision on the new members were agreed upon after firming up the guiding principles, criteria and procedures for the expansion process. "We have consensus on the first phase of this BRICS expansion process," Ramaphosa said at the end of the grouping's summit in Johannesburg. "We have decided to invite Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to become full members of BRICS," he said. "We value the interests of other countries
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that the country's economy is in a better state than before the COVID-19 pandemic and his government will work to ensure its continuous growth. The Covid-19 pandemic no longer determines how we live our lives. We have been able to shelter society's most vulnerable from its worst effects," Ramaphosa said in his New Year's address on Saturday. President said that South Africa's economy is in a better state than before the COVID-19 pandemic and his government will work to ensure its continuous growth. Our economy is growing again and is now larger than it was before the pandemic. Over the past year, around 1.5 million new jobs were created, he said, while conceding that 2022 had been a difficult year for South Africans. There have been devastating tragic events that have destroyed both lives and livelihoods. These events have included floods, fatal vehicle crashes, deaths in taverns, dam wall collapses, drownings, fires in informal ...
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was on Monday given a lifeline by his African National Congress' (ANC) top executives, who decided to reject a report which found that Ramaphosa had flouted his constitutional obligations. Speaking to the media on Monday evening after a day-long deliberation of the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC), spokesman Paul Mashatile, who is also the Treasurer General of the party, said the NEC has decided to reject the report. Earlier on Monday, Ramaphosa filed papers in the Constitutional Court to review and set aside the Section 89 panel report that found he may have violated the Constitution. The report had found sufficient evidence that Ramaphosa may have violated a section of the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act and may have committed serious misconduct by exposing himself to a situation involving a conflict between his official responsibilities and his private business. The incident at Ramaphosa's private game farm, cal
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing a possible impeachment threat over claims that he covered up the theft of millions of dollars in cash allegedly hidden in furniture at his game farm. Ramaphosa, 70, is being probed in an ongoing scandal linked to the theft from his private game farm in 2020. An independent panel said it had found sufficient evidence that the President may have violated a section of the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act and may have committed serious misconduct by exposing himself to a situation involving a conflict between his official responsibilities and his private business. The report of the panel, which was headed by retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, was handed to the Speaker of the National Assembly on Wednesday, clearing the way for possible impeachment action against Ramaphosa. Under South Africa's law, large amounts of foreign currency may not be kept by individuals without the requisite declarations or ...
The Hindu community of South Africa is an integral part of the country's makeup, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday as he extended greetings of Diwali to the community members across the nation. The Hindu Community is an integral part of South Africa's rich multicultural tapestry. Members of the Hindu Community have made a significant contribution to our country since the arrival of indentured Indians to South Africa in 1860, Ramaphosa said. He was referring to the first Indians who arrived by boat in November 1860 to work on the sugar cane plantations of the then British colonial province of Natal. They were followed by thousands more, as well passenger Indians who paid their own way to start up businesses in South Africa. Descendants of these first Indian settlers now number 1.4 million South African citizens in a seventh generation in some instances. Ramaphosa also acknowledged the Indian community across several generations who were in the forefront of the struggle aga