The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has distanced itself from threats by a former commander, who called for the removal of President Cyril Ramaphosa from office. This comes after a video of the former officer identified as Sylvester Mangolele went viral on social media on Tuesday. In the video, …
Read More »South African president welcomes Israel-Hamas deal
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the deal between Israel and Hamas for a four-day pause in fighting. The start of the pause is due to be announced within 24 hours. As part of the deal, Hamas will free 50 hostages it seized last month; Israel will release about …
Read More »South Africa lawmakers vote to suspend relations with Israel
South African lawmakers have voted to close the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and to suspend all diplomatic relations, the BBC reported. The governing African National Congress – which dominates parliament – has long been critical of Israel and it supported the motion in parliament. The motion called for the closure …
Read More »South Africa deploys army to tackle illegal mining
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the deployment of 3,300 army personnel to help combat illegal mining activities, Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement on Thursday. “The deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), which is expected to cost about 492 million rand ($26 million), is aimed …
Read More »BRICS leaders meet in South Africa
Leaders of the BRICS nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – converged on Johannesburg on Tuesday for a summit where they will weigh expanding the bloc as some members push to forge it into a counterweight to the West, Reuters reported. Heightened global tensions provoked by the …
Read More »Cyril Ramaphosa insists on neutrality before the BRICS summit
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has once again declared that his country will not be drawn into global power dynamics, local media reported. Mr Ramaphosa’s televised address came ahead of the meeting of the Brics nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – in Johannesburg on Tuesday. “We …
Read More »South Africa: President Ramaphosa cleared in farmgate scandal
South African government watchdog has cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing related to a theft at his farm. The scandal erupted in June last year when a former spy boss, Arthur Fraser, alleged that President Ramaphosa had concealed the theft of millions of dollars in cash from his game …
Read More »US issues ‘damning accusation’ against South Africa
The US ambassador to Pretoria has made a damning accusation against the South African government – and it seems to have caught South African officials off-guard. Ambassador Reuben Brigety says that the US has reliable intelligence that South Africa supplied arms and ammunition to a Russian ship which had docked, …
Read More »“The ‘no work, no pay’ principle should apply”, Cyril Ramaphosa warns strikers
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says he is concerned about the ongoing wage strike by public workers that is affecting essential services in the country. The strike by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) started on Monday, as the workers demanded a 10% pay hike after rejecting …
Read More »South African leader denies his ministers ‘live like rock stars’
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has dismissed claims that his new cabinet is bloated and says he is committed to restructuring the government, local media reported. Opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen on Thursday asked President Ramaphosa in parliament if it was fair for ministers to be “living like …
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