SA President - The African Mirror

Jul

16

2023

Putin discusses grain deal, awkward BRICS summit with Ramaphosa

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in which they discussed the Black Sea grain deal, due to expire on Monday, and a summit in South Africa next month, the Kremlin said. Ramaphosa finds himself in an awkward position as host of the BRICS summit because of an arrest warrant issued against Putin in March by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which accused him of the war crime of deporting Ukrainian children to Russia. The warrant means member states of the ICC - of which South Africa is one - are obliged to arrest him if…

Jun

11

2023

By The African Mirror

Russia war on Ukraine: SA President briefs Chinese leader

NEWS

SOUTH Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has briefed Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the upcoming visit by African leaders to Russia and Ukraine in a bid to end hostilities, the South African presidency said. Chinese state broadcaster reported that the two leaders had a phone call on Friday. In a statement, South Africa's presidency said Ramaphosa told Xi he noted the peace plan proposed by China and affirmed African leaders' support for initiatives aimed at a peaceful resolution of the conflict. "President Xi Jinping commended the initiative by the African continent and acknowledged the impact the conflict has had on human lives and…

Mar

06

2023

By The African Mirror

SA president to reshuffle cabinet

NEWS

SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa will announce changes to the national executive at 7:00 p.m. (1700 GMT) on Monday, presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya said. A cabinet reshuffle has been widely expected since Ramaphosa was re-elected leader of the governing African National Congress (ANC) at a party leadership contest in December, paving the way for him to run for a second term in 2024. "The president is finalising his reconfiguration of the national executive," Magwenya said at a news briefing, adding that he was taking into account the swearing-in of some members of parliament before announcing the reshuffle. Ramaphosa is expected…

Feb

15

2023

By The African Mirror

South Africa declares national state of disaster over floods

NEWS

SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a national state of disaster to enable an intensive response to widespread flooding that has affected seven of the country's nine provinces. Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape have been most affected by the floods, which were brought on by heavy rainfall as a result of the La Nina weather phenomenon, according to a statement from the office of the presidency on Monday. Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, the Northern Cape, and North West have also experienced flooding. Invoking the national disaster act gives the government additional powers, including in the procurement and delivery of goods and services…

Feb

15

2023

By The African Mirror

SA declares national state of disaster over floods

NEWS

SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a national state of disaster to enable an intensive response to widespread flooding that has affected seven of the country's nine provinces. Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape have been most affected by the floods, which were brought on by heavy rainfall as a result of the La Nina weather phenomenon, according to a statement from the office of the presidency on Monday. Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, the Northern Cape, and North West have also experienced flooding. Invoking the national disaster act gives the government additional powers, including in the procurement and delivery of goods and services…

Sep

06

2021

By The African Mirror

SA President honours police officers who died in the line of duty

NEWS

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER ON a cloudy day in Pretoria, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa met with each of the 34 families of police officers who died in the line of duty in the past year. Ramaphosa spent time individually with widows, widowers, sisters, brothers and the children of officers to reinforce a message he had delivered in the keynote speech at the National Police Commemoration Day. The President said: “Nothing can ever take away the pain of losing a loved one. And yet amid the despair and sorrow, there is a firm determination that the lives lost should not be…

Jul

10

2021

By The African Mirror

62 held as SA police battle pro-Zuma protesters

NEWS

A total of 62 people have been arrested as police sought to impose the rule of law in the face of lawlessness which has accompanied protests by supporters of jailed former president Jacob Zuma. National roads have been blocked, trucks with merchandise running into hundreds of millions torched and shops looted by protesters. The South African Police said the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure was working around the clock to enhance operational capacity in response to incidents in which people were undermining the authority of the state. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has spoken out strongly against the violent…

Mar

25

2021

By The African Mirror

Ramaphosa to testify at state capture commission

NEWS

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa is to testify over four days at the judicial commission into state capture, fraud and corruption. The South African presidency confirmed today that Ramaphosa will appear before the commission, chaired by Deputy Judge President Raymond Zondo, from April 22-29. The presidency said Ramaphosa will testify in his capacity as President and former Deputy President of the Republic and as President and former Deputy President of the African National Congress. “This is in line with the President’s many public statements in which he has expressed his willingness to testify before the Commission,” the…