President Cyril Ramaphosa will this evening, 20 August 2023 address the nation on South Africa’s Foreign Policy and the upcoming BRICS Summit. 

The SABC will provide the feed to all media and PresidencyZA will also live stream the proceedings.
 
The address is scheduled to take place at 20h00.
 
 
Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – 082 835 6315
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Your Excellency President Xi Jinping,
Honourable Ministers,
Ambassadors from China and South Africa,
Members of delegations,
Members of the media,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

South Africa is honoured to receive President Xi Jinping on his fourth State Visit to South Africa.

This visit coincides with 25 years of diplomatic relations between South Africa and the People’s Republic of China.

We are grateful for the support and friendship that China has provided as we have worked to rebuild and transform our country after the devastation of apartheid.

We recall with gratitude the solidarity demonstrated by China during the COVID-19 pandemic when it supplied much-needed equipment, materials and vaccines to African countries. 

During this State Visit, South Africa and China have reaffirmed political support for each other’s core interests. 

We also agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure development, energy, tourism, education and training, and digital technologies.

China is South Africa’s largest trading partner and South Africa is China’s biggest trading partner in Africa.

We have discussed the need to narrow the trade deficit between South Africa and China, and that one of the ways to do this is by ensuring greater market access for value-added South African export goods into the Chinese market.

On multilateral cooperation, President Xi and I have agreed to consult closely on issues of common concern, including in the context of BRICS, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the G77 plus China, and the G20.

We have discussed areas of synergy in line with the call by South Africa and other African countries for the reform of institutions of global governance, notably the United Nations Security Council. 

We agree that the interests of the Global South must be fairly represented on all multilateral fora. 

President Xi and I discussed the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and its significant impact on developing economies in Africa and elsewhere. 

We both agreed on the importance of dialogue and negotiation between the two sides. As South Africa, we are encouraged that President Xi has welcomed the peace mission to Russia and Ukraine initiated by African leaders.

President Xi and I look forward to the upcoming BRICS Summit, and have agreed that BRICS must play an expanded role in global affairs. 

President Xi and I will be co-chairing a China-Africa Leaders’ Roundtable on the sidelines of this State Visit.

The purpose of this roundtable is to further deepen cooperation between China and the African continent on the development, industrialisation and integration of African economies.

We are gratified that the friendship between the People’s Republic of China and South Africa has endured. 

The friendship that exists between South Africa and the People’s Republic of China is living proof of what is set out in the Freedom Charter, which is the forerunner of the South African Constitution, which declared that: “There shall be Peace and Friendship.”

We look forward to a new era of even stronger ties, underpinned by our commitment to achieving common prosperity for our respective peoples and the Global South in general.

I thank you.

ARRIVAL OF MEDIA AND ISSUING OF MEDIA ACCREDITATION 

Date: Tuesday, 22 August 2023
Time: 07h30 – 08h30
Venue: Government Avenue Entrance, Union Buildings  

WELCOME CEREMONY 

Date: Tuesday, 22 August 2023
Time: 10h30 
Venue: Nelson Mandela Amphitheater, Union Buildings 

SOUTH AFRICA – CHINA OFFICIAL TALKS 

Date: Tuesday, 22 August 2023
Time: 11h30 
Venue: Union Buildings 

OFFICIAL TALKS REPORT BACK

Date: Tuesday, 22 August 2023
Time: 12h30 
Venue: Courtyard, Union Buildings

Note: due to restricted space, there is an overflow area for media to follow the proceedings. Media accreditation for the Incoming China State Visit closed on 11 August 2023.  

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – 082 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Programme Directors, Murphy Morobe and Cheryl Carolus,
Former President Thabo Mbeki
Former President Kgalema Motlanthe, 
Seaparankoe Mama Sophie De Bruyn, 
Former leaders and activists of the United Democratic Front,
Representatives of civil society,
Comrades,
Friends, 

It is my distinct pleasure to be here today to commemorate the founding of the United Democratic Front, a mighty demonstration of people’s power that was so vital to the achievement of our freedom. 

We are honoured to have many of the founding members of the UDF with us here today. 

You were torch-bearers in the onward march towards a free country, and we salute you all. It is heartening that you remain committed to playing an active role in the political life of our country. 

Forty years ago at the Rocklands Community Hall in Mitchell’s Plain, the UDF was launched as a popular front ‘to bolster the tide of the struggle’ against the great injustice of apartheid. 

The delegates came from the length and breadth of South Africa. They came representing some 575 civic organisations, trade unions, student formations, the women’s movement, faith-based groups, anti-apartheid coalitions and community organisations. 

As we know, the launch date of the 20th of August was deliberately chosen. 

This was the date the regime planned to introduce a constitutional amendment to set up the Tricameral Parliament, a hated structure with its separate Houses for whites, coloureds and Indians. The African majority was left out in the cold. 

It was an attempt to lend legitimacy to an illegitimate system. The very purpose was to divide the ranks of the oppressed. 

In a massive show of defiance, the UDF was introduced to South Africa and the world at a public rally in Mitchell’s Plain attended by 10,000 people. 

The new organisation had the potent slogan ‘UDF Unites, Apartheid Divides’. 

The UDF would go on to mobilise communities across South Africa against so-called grand apartheid, a system of brute force and petty laws. 

The UDF organised protests, rent, consumer and bus boycotts, and strikes and stay-aways. Affiliates assisted the families of detainees, campaigned for their release, organised political funerals and conducted political education. 

What made the UDF unique was its distinct political culture. 

It was able to forge alliances with organisations that identified with its aims. 

It had no rigid structures, hierarchies and red tape. This enabled it to grow rapidly and expand its influence. 

At its height, there were three million community  members and more than 400 organisations under the banner of the UDF. 

It is clear that the UDF transformed the political landscape. What is remarkable is that it achieved so much when it was in existence for just eight short years. 

We remember the many UDF leaders who are no longer with us who kept our people’s hopes alive: Griffiths Mxenge, Victoria Mxenge, Sister Bernard Ncube, Rev Beyers Naude, Archie Gumede, Billy Nair, Albertina Sisulu, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and the many leading lights of the movement. 

We also remember the many UDF activists who were detained without trial, tortured and killed by the regime, and the many, many men and women from across South Africa who made up the rank and file of the UDF. 

History will record your great contribution. 

Comrades, Friends 

Many in our country today have been vocal about their unease at the gulf between the values that guided the liberation struggle and the country we live in today. 

Many in this country, including some gathered here today, are disappointed that the non-racialism and unity embodied by the UDF has been lost.

To many, it has been supplanted by ethnic chauvinism and factionalism, even within our the liberation movement. 

That is why, as the UDF@40 Call to Action puts it, we have to recover the best traditions, ethos and values of our democratic struggle. 

The UDF was defined as much as what it was fighting for as by what it was fighting against. 

The UDF used people’s power to break the power of an illegitimate regime. 

Its generational mission was clear. It was a grassroots movement of building up, of empowering people, of promoting personal agency and of encouraging citizens to play an active role in their communities. 

For this and many reasons, characterising the UDF solely as a mass protest movement would be a half- story, and the lessons we can learn from the UDF experience cannot be confined to people taking to the streets. 

Of the many proud legacies of the UDF, a stronger civil society is one of the most important. 

It is undeniable that civil society has flourished since 1994. 

This is a barometer of good health for democracy. 

We have a free press, people enjoy freedom of association and the right to protest. 

People’s power is alive and well. We have seen it being harnessed to drive change. 

In the late nineties, the activism of the Treatment Action Campaign and others campaigned for access to HIV/Aids treatment, and won. 

In 2015, the #FeesMustFall student movement laid the basis for dramatic changes to access to higher education. 

In 2018, the #TotalShutdown against gender-based violence brought government and civil society together to develop a clear, united plan to tackle the scourge. 

Now a number of new laws have come into effect that give greater protection to survivors of gender-based violence and harsher sentences for perpetrators.

The mass mobilisation under the UDF umbrella in the 1980s was to realise the aspirations of the Freedom Charter. 

Since the advent of democracy we have worked actively to fulfil these aspirations, and those of the Constitution that was inspired by the Freedom Charter. 

Equality before the law and human rights for all, expanded access to education and health care, land reform and restitution, an extensive social protection system and workers’ rights are just some of the measurable gains we have registered. 

Even as we know that we still have much farther to go, we should not diminish what has been achieved. 

As government, we have expressed our determination to ‘leave no-one behind’, which is in keeping with the spirit of the great UDF. 

The reality is that despite our gains, millions of our citizens feel left behind. 

Many coloured and Indian compatriots who were the backbone of the UDF feel excluded from our nation’s political life, and point to their under-representation in decision-making structures as evidence of this. 

Many white South Africans wrongly believe there is no place for them in South Africa today, and some have drifted towards laager-style politics and a siege mentality. 

Women feel marginalised and unprotected as they are preyed upon in their homes, at schools, at places of higher learning, and even in church. 

Young people, a third of our population, are feeling the cold winds of exclusion from opportunity. They see politics as the preserve of old people and aren’t voting. 

By far those who feel most excluded and neglected are the urban and rural poor, the unemployed and society’s most vulnerable. 

Comrades, friends, 

We are alive to the reality that in a number of respects the democratically-elected government has fallen short of meeting the needs of  the South African people. 

Corruption, wasteful expenditure and general malfeasance are rot that must be excised before they completely reverse our democratic gains. 

However this important occasion should not come be remembered for having been a drawn-out history lesson, or another opportunity to dissect the shortcomings of the government of the day. 

Let us remember what we are all fighting for. 

The biggest enemy of the people is poverty. 

This is the tide that must turn. This is the war we have to wage. Against exclusion, marginalisation and inequality in all its forms. 

And so when we make a call for a stronger civil society, for transformation, for accountability, we must be as committed as the UDF was to leaving no-one behind. 

The resurgence of people’s power as a force for positive change, with its calls for an active citizenry, has come at the right time. 

We remember Amilcar Cabral’s words that ‘the people are not fighting for ideas, but to win material benefits.’ 

What matters most to the South African people is that they want a better life for themselves and their children. They want to lead lives of dignity, in security, and to have decent work. 

Affording one’s rent, putting food on the table, having running water and decent sanitation, sending ones children to school – these are the bread-and-butter issues the UDF was seized with helping people secure. It was part of its political activism. 

When the UDF was at its most powerful, South Africa was a different place. The enemy was clear. 

Today the threats to the wellbeing of the South African people come in many guizes. 

These threats are corruption, malfeasance and abuse of public office for personal gain. 

These threats are also greedy corporates that exploit workers, evade paying tax and hoard their profits instead of employing more people or ploughing them back into communities. 

These threats include the gangsters and criminal syndicates that are making life a living hell for our citizens, including on the Cape Flats where the UDF was formed 40 years ago. 

They are the patriarchal attitudes, sexism and misogyny that are fuelling violence against women and children. 

They are immoral business practices that hurt the poor the most – practices like price gouging, the exploitation of tenants by landlords, illegal evictions, selling unsafe food and predatory lending. 

They are xenophobia, homophobia, tribalism and all forms of chauvinism that are breeding fear, mistrust and even stoking violence within and amongst communities. 

And so when calls are made to reclaim our democracy we cannot but be categorical about how we plan to go about doing so. 

It is encouraging to note the very practical proposals made by UDF@40 on how to catalyse an active citizenry. 

These include encouraging citizens to join community policing forums and school governing bodies; for youth to volunteer in communities; reviving sports, arts and culture clubs for young people in communities; and stronger ward committees. 

This shows an understanding that the social ills in our country are complex, and that people’s power must be directed to bring about change across society, and not just in our politics. 

History does not demand of us another manifesto, steering committee or political super-structure. The UDF’s place in history is assured, as is that of its leaders. 

What is demanded of us is that we go back to communities, to listen to them, to encourage them, and to unite them, as the UDF did. 

If we are looking to recapture the momentum that made the UDF such a formidable force, we first need to understand the conditions under which citizens are living, and what matters to them most. 

Comrades, Friends, 

In March 1966 Dr Martin Luther King Jr gave a lecture at the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. 

Reflecting on the progress of the civil rights movement he said: 

“Somewhere we must come to see that human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. It comes through the time and persistent work of dedicated individuals.” 

Gathered here today, and listening from their homes or places of work are many such dedicated men and women. 

The task before those who were fortunate enough to witness the birth of the UDF and be part of the movement is not to cling to the baton, or put it in a museum somewhere so we can marvel over it and tell stories about it. 

Our task, our duty, is to pass it on. 

On this 40th anniversary of the UDF let us set our sights high, on what must be done to overcome the most immediate challenges facing the South African people. 

This, our democracy, is strong, despite a number of attempts to weaken it. 

But democracy cannot build itself, it is up to us to do so. 

So let us build it up. Let us take forward our gains. 

Let us define and drive a new generational mission that in the spirit of the mighty UDF unites, inspires and leaves no-one behind. 

I thank you.

Fellow South Africans,
 
I would like to address you this evening on South Africa’s foreign policy in the light of our country being the host of the 15th BRICS Summit.
 
I would also like us to understand and appreciate the significance of this gathering for our country and the African continent.
 
A day ahead of the Summit, we will receive President Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China on his fourth state visit to South Africa.
 
This BRICS Summit and the State Visit by President President Xi Jinping, as well as the many bilateral engagements we will have with President Lula Da Silva of Brazil, Prime Minister Modi of India and many other heads of state on the sidelines of the Summit, have a bearing on our relationships with other countries and South Africa's place in the world.
 
To understand why these relations are so important for our country and its people, we need to understand the principles and the values that shape our foreign policy and inform our international relations.
 
Before the dawn of democracy in 1994, the apartheid South African state was a pariah in the international community, condemned for committing a crime against humanity.
 
The foreign policy of apartheid South Africa was defined by coercion, destabilisation and military aggression.
 
Since the advent of democracy, South Africa's foreign policy has been based on what our forebears inscribed in the Freedom Charter in 1955, when they declared that:
 
“South Africa shall be a fully independent state which respects the rights and the sovereignty of all nations; South Africa shall strive to maintain world peace and the settlement of all international disputes by negotiation – not war”.
 
This foreign policy approach is also a product of the efforts of leaders such as the late Oliver Tambo who mounted a vigorous worldwide campaign to secure global support for our just struggle against apartheid.
 
This put South Africa on the global map in relation to the interests of its people whilst the world condemned its apartheid rulers.
 
Indeed, our foreign policy is a matter that is vital to our progress as a nation.
 
Through stronger relations with other countries, manifested through investment and trade relations, we can grow our economy, create more opportunities for new businesses and create jobs.
 
South Africa’s foreign policy aims to promote our National Interest based on the protection and promotion of our national sovereignty and constitutional order.
 
It is also aimed at improving the well-being, safety and prosperity of our citizens, and the achievement of a better Africa and world.
 
The key pillars of our foreign policy include the promotion of human rights, peace and stability and the strengthening of trade and investment ties with other countries.
 
The foreign policy stance we have taken since the advent of democracy has positioned South Africa as a reliable and influential partner on our continent and in the world.
 
This has enabled our country to have friendly and valuable relations with countries around the world at political, diplomatic, trade, investment, sporting, social and many other levels.
 
It is these principles that guide our participation in BRICS.
 
Together, the members of BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – make up a quarter of the global economy, they account for a fifth of global trade and are home to more than 40 per cent of the world’s population.
 
BRICS as a formation plays an important role in the world due to its economic power, market potential, political influence and development cooperation.
 
Yet the value of BRICS extends beyond its sheer size.
 
BRICS countries can collectively shape global dynamics, and acting together, have the potential to drive significant changes in the world economy and international relations.
 
Together, the BRICS members have used their collective voice to call for a world that is more equitable, balanced and governed by an inclusive system of global governance.
 
Being a BRICS member has created positive opportunities for South Africa.
 
It has enabled our country to have a strategic relationship with China.
 
Based on the strategic relationship between South Africa and the People’s Republic of China we will be signing several agreements during President Xi’s State visit.
 
We have steadily strengthened trade and investment ties with other BRICS countries alongside collaboration in areas like development, skills, technology, security and innovation.
 
South Africa has benefited from the New Development Bank, which was established by the BRICS countries in 2015.
 
Our country has been funded by the bank in several infrastructure projects to the value of R100 billion in sectors such as roads, water, transport and energy.
 
South Africa has always championed the interests of Africa within BRICS.
 
To further advance the African development agenda, more than 30 Heads of State and Government from across Africa will be attending the summit.
 
We want to build a partnership between BRICS and Africa so that our continent can unlock opportunities for increased trade, investment and infrastructure development.
 
There are great opportunities for other BRICS countries to participate in the African Continental Free Trade Area by locating production and services in various countries on the African continent, including our own, by partnering with local companies and entrepreneurs.
 
The 15th BRICS Summit will discuss a number of issues including the important issue of the possible expansion of the membership of BRICS.
 
More than 20 countries have formally applied to join BRICS and several others have expressed an interest in becoming part of the BRICS family.
 
South Africa supports the expansion of the membership of BRICS.
 
The value of BRICS extends beyond the interests of its current members.
 
For its efforts to be more effective, BRICS needs to build partnerships with other countries that share its aspirations and perspectives.
 
An expanded BRICS will represent a diverse group of nations with different political systems that share a common desire to have a more balanced global order.
 
In addition to the other African leaders in attendance, we will also be welcoming leaders from several countries of the Global South.
 
These include countries from the Caribbean and South America, from the Middle East, from West Asia, South Asia and South-East Asia.
 
This BRICS Summit is particularly important as it is being held as the world is confronted by fundamental challenges that are bound to determine the course of international events for years to come.
 
Our world has become increasingly complex and fractured as it is increasingly polarised into competing camps.
 
Multilateralism is being replaced by the actions of different power blocs, all of which we trade with, invest with, and whose technology we use.
 
It is for this reason that South Africa continues to advocate for an open and rules-based global governance, trade, financial and investment system. It must be a system that does not depend on the exercise of power or unilateralism, but by the advancement of the interests of the peoples of the world.
 
It is in this rules base system that we seek to advance African prosperity and industrialisation. We seek to change the rules to be fairer but ultimately we want to promote an open system of economic and political relations.
 
Amid all these challenges, Africa remains at the centre of our foreign policy.
 
We are firmly committed to strengthening the African Union so that it increases its capacity to support the achievement of greater integration on the continent.
 
We are working towards the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which is set to eliminate trade barriers, boost intra African trade and achieve prosperity for all of Africa.
 
It will also accelerate manufacturing and industrial capacity on our continent.
 
The vibrant trading Africa we seek to build depends on Africa being stable and peaceful.
 
For Africa to thrive, we must silence the guns.
 
We continue to work within the African Union to end several ongoing conflicts on the continent and restore constitutional and democratic government to countries that have recently experienced coups.
 
South Africa is directly involved in a number of efforts to bring peace to Africa.
 
We are currently involved in supporting the people of Mozambique and the DRC to ensure that there is peace and stability in their countries.
 
The administration I have the honour to lead has been devoted to attracting greater trade and investment into South Africa.
 
Every visit we make to countries on our continent and across the world and every visit by heads of state from other countries focuses on strengthening economic ties.
 
When a foreign leader visits our country for a state visit, they are usually accompanied by a business delegation. We are usually accompanied by South African companies when we travel to other countries.
 
The Business Forums that are held during these visits result in greater trade, investment and business partnerships.
 
To further strengthen economic ties between African countries and the United States, South Africa is inviting more than 30 African trade ministers and senior US Administration and Congressional representatives to the next forum of the African Growth and Opportunity Act – AGOA – scheduled for November this year.
 
As part of our ongoing relationship with the countries of the European Union, we will hold the European Union-South Africa Summit later this year in South Africa to foster our investment and trade relations.
 
Recent trade statistics indicate the success of all our international links.
 
Within the first three months of this year, we exported R450 billion worth of goods in the mining, manufacturing, and agricultural sectors. Our biggest exports were to China, followed by the United States, Germany, Japan, and then India.
 
Exports to other African countries account for around a quarter of the value of all our exports.
 
Our tourism industry is recovering well from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
More than 4 million tourist arrivals were recorded in the first half of this year, almost twice as many arrivals as in the same period last year.
 
Companies across the globe have established new or expanded ventures in our country in sectors as diverse as energy, mining, vehicle production, the creative sector, manufacturing and many others.
 
For every rand we attract, jobs are created and sustained.
 
Our country is committed to a policy of non-alignment.
 
We have resisted pressure to align ourselves with any one of the global powers or with influential blocs of nations.
 
During the ‘Cold War’, the stability and sovereignty of many African countries was undermined because of their alignment with the major powers.
 
This experience has convinced us of the need to seek strategic partnerships with other countries rather than be dominated by any other country.
 
While some of our detractors prefer overt support for their political and ideological choices, we will not be drawn into a contest between global powers.
 
Instead, our country strives to work with all countries for global peace and development.
 
It is for this reason that South Africa is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, a forum of 120 countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.
 
Our decision not to align with any one of the global powers does not mean that we are neutral on matters of principle and national interest.
 
Our non-aligned position exists alongside our active support for the struggles of the oppressed and marginalised in different parts of the world.
 
We have always believed that the freedom we won – and the international solidarity from which we benefited – imposes a duty on us is to support the struggles of those who continue to experience colonialism and racial oppression.
 
That is why we will continue to support the struggles of the people of Palestine and Western Sahara.
 
We are fully committed to the articles of the United Nations Charter, including the principle that all members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means.
 
Most recently, we participated in the African initiative to seek peace in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
 
Through this African Peace Initiative our country continues to be involved in processes to ensure that children who were removed from their homes in Ukraine are returned to their families and that prisoners of war are exchanged.
 
We continue to be involved in the talks regarding the reopening of the Black Sea to facilitate the flow of grain.
 
We firmly believe that dialogue, mediation and diplomacy is the only viable path to end the current conflict and achieve a durable peace.
 
We support the principle of respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states and peoples.
 
In the midst of the grave challenges facing humanity, we are determined that a reformed and representative United Nations must be at the centre of global affairs.
 
Our support for the United Nations exists alongside our firm belief that this premier multilateral institution needs genuine reform to make it more democratic, representative and efficient.
 
The United Nations Security Council must be transformed into a more inclusive, more effective body that is able to ensure peace and security. 
 
We are pleased that the UN Secretary General Mr Antonio Guterres will attend the BRICS Summit at our invitation. 

South Africa, as a member of the community of nations, will continue to play a constructive role in world affairs.
 
In 2025, South Africa will assume the presidency of the G20 group of nations.
 
This will be the first time that G20 meetings will be hosted in Africa.
 
The G20 Summit in 2025 will be an opportunity for South Africa to take a lead on critical challenges facing the global community.
 
South Africa’s approach to foreign relations is to seek increased collaboration, to secure greater trade opportunities and increased investment, and to work closely with partners across the globe to entrench peace and democracy.
 
As we continue to define our place in the world, as we advance the needs of our people, we will continue to mobilise all our moral, political and economic strength on the side of peace and development for all of humanity.
 
We will continue our efforts to give effect to the call of the Freedom Charter that “There shall be peace and friendship”.
 
As the week begins tomorrow, the streets of our country will be hubs of activity as visitors from various countries will be our guests.
 
Let us welcome them and give them the warmth and hospitality that we are known for.
 
A number of them may choose to stay for a few days beyond the summit to visit the various beautiful parts of our country.
 
I call on all of us to show them the very best of South African Ubuntu.
 
I thank you.

The Presidency has noted the completion of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Phala Phala investigation and the subsequent findings.

 

 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - 082 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

The President of the Republic of South Africa and Chair of BRICS, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, will announce the outcomes of the XV BRICS Summit on Thursday, 24 August 2023, at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg. 

For XV BRICS Summit accredited media only.

Date: Thursday, 24 August 2023
Time: 8h45 
Venue: Media to converge at the Media Centre Level -2 by 07h30

For media logistics enquiries, contact Nelson Kgwete on 076 431 3078 and Terrence Manase on 082 338 6707.

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - 082 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will later today, 24 August 2023, Co-Chair the China-Africa Leaders Round Table along with His Excellency President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China after the 15th BRICS Summit.

The theme for the Roundtable is “Promoting African Integration and Jointly Building a High-Level Africa-China Community with a Shared Future”. The initiative to hold the Roundtable was made by the Government of China.

The current Chairs of the eight Regional Economic Communities (RECs) of Africa are expected to participate, including the Chair of the African Union; the Chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation; and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

The expected outcomes of the China-Africa Leaders Roundtable dialogue will be to further heighten and reiterate Chinese political commitment to regional and continental integration, with a focus on supporting Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.

The various Chairs of the RECs would also have the opportunity to frontload developmental challenges in their respective regions and engage with the Chinese Head of State and Government on how China could further support regional economic growth.

As Co-Chair of the event, President Ramaphosa will have the opportunity to actively steer the political discussions and ensure that key messages on African development are conveyed to the Chinese authorities as a key development player on the Continent. 

President Ramaphosa will also advocate for the following key address:

• Highlighting the importance of China-South Africa bilateral relations, against the backdrop of the successfully concluded 4th State Visit, in supporting the African Agenda;

• Contextualising the conclusion and outcomes of the BRICS Summit (and the related theme on African development) to the discussions of the Roundtable, moving forward;

• Drawing in the FOCAC process as the principal multilateral engagement between Africa and China, and making the relevant linkages to support the Second Ten Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063 and calling for joint monitoring and evaluation;

• Highlighting the importance of the transformative nature of infrastructural development on the African Continent and linking future FOCAC support to the North-South Corridor projects of the Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative (PICI); 

• Stressing the key priority areas of development as Africa moves into the second decade of Agenda 2063, inclusive of calling for specific Chinese support for the full operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA);

• Calling for greater cooperation in international affairs and multilateral institutions, inclusive of upholding the UN-based global system and UN Security Council Reform aimed at overall African development

At the conclusion of the Roundtable, it is envisaged that a Joint Statement will be adopted by the participating Heads of State and Government. 

Note to media: Due to restricted space at the venue of the China-Africa Leaders Roundtable Dialogue, a media pool is in place. 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - 082 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Presidential Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, will today, 03 August 2023, update the public, through a media briefing, on the President’s public programme for the next two weeks.  

Members of the media are invited as follows:

Date: Thursday, 03 August 2023
Time: 15h15 (Media to arrive at 14h45)
Venue: Media Centre, Union Buildings, Pretoria 
 
RSVP: Members of the media wishing to attend the media briefing physically are requested to submit their details to Hlobisile Nkosi – hlobisile@presidency.gov.za by midday, 12h00. 

Media following remotely can text their questions to 079 898 4621. The media briefing will be streamed live and the link will be shared prior. 
 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - +27 82 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

PUBLIC PROGRAMME OF THE PRESIDENT 

6 August 2023 - Closing Ceremony of the Netball World Cup 2023

At the invitation of the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Hon. Zizi Kodwa, President Cyril Ramaphosa will attend and address the Closing Ceremony of the Netball World Cup 2023 on Sunday, 06 August 2023.

The President is particularly pleased with the gallant effort and competitive display shown by the National Netball Team, The Spar Proteas. The successful hosting of the Netball World Cup 2023 has once again affirmed South Africa’s endowment with world-class destinations that can host the world for any global showpiece.  

9 August 2023 - Women's Day Celebrations, Khayelitsha, Cape Town

As South Africa observes Women’s Month in August, President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Wednesday, 09 August 2023, deliver the keynote address at the Women’s Day national commemorative event to be held at the Khayelitsha Rugby Stadium, in the Western Cape. 

Women’s Month 2023 will be commemorated under the overarching theme: “Accelerating socio-economic opportunities for empowerment of women”. 
Every year, we observe this month to pay tribute to the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against Pass Laws. 

This year marks 67 years since the watershed 1956 women’s march which was one of the largest demonstrations staged in the country’s history. It was underpinned by the adoption of the Women’s Charter of 1954.

For President Ramaphosa, is it quite fitting that as we celebrate Women’s Month and are reminded of the heroics of the brave women that shaped our struggle for freedom, we are witnessing the boldness of the Women’s National Football Team, Banyana Banyana. Without a professional league and big sponsors, Banyana Banyana, have risen to conquer our continent and they are now making their mark on the world stage. The President calls on the leadership of the sport and those associated with the game to ensure that the equal pay for equal work principle is adhered to in football and in all women’s sports.   

11 August 2023 - District Development Model Presidential Imbizo, Chris Hani District Municipality, Eastern Cape

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday, 11 August 2023, interact with the community of Chris Hani District in Eastern Cape Province during the 9th District Development Model (DDM) Presidential Imbizo as a continuous Government programme that seeks to ensure an integrated, district-based service delivery approach that fast tracks service delivery. 

The President will be concluding the first round of the District Development Model Presidential Imbizo in the Eastern Cape Province, after interacting with communities across all provinces since March 2022. 

The community engagement will take place at the Intsika Yethu Local Municipality (Ward 8), Tsomo Town, Chris Hani District, Eastern Cape. 

17 August 2023 - SADC Summit, Luanda, Angola

President Cyril Ramaphosa will undertake a working visit to Luanda in the Republic of Angola to attend the 43rd Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government, which takes place on 17 August 2023. The Summit will take place under the theme “Human and Financial capital: The Key Drivers for Sustainable Industrialisation in the SADC Region”. 

This Ordinary SADC Summit will be preceded by the Organ Troika on Politics, Defense and Security Summit, for which South Africa is the outgoing chair, on 16 August 2023. 

The Troika is responsible for the promotion of peace and security in the SADC region. 

22 August 2023 - Incoming China State Visit

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on 22 August 2023, welcome his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping to South Africa for a State Visit, which will be hosted at the Union Buildings. Over and above formal talks aimed at strengthening bilateral relations with China, there will be a number of memorandums of agreement that will be signed on the day. 

31 August 2023 - SAPS Biology Section with DNA Analysis

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on 31 August 2023 officiate the opening of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Biology Section with DNA Analysis within the Forensic Science Laboratory in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape Province.

The expansion of the laboratory will include the installation of advanced equipment to analyse DNA, which will address the backlog experienced in the analysis of DNA and the fight against crime, especially Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).

President extends condlences on the passing of Former President Henri Konan Bédié of Côte d’Ivoire

President Cyril Ramaphosa has, on behalf of the Government and people of South Africa, extended condolences to the Bédié family, the Government and the people of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, following the passing of the former Ivorian President, Mr Henri Konan Bédié.

Mr Bédié served as the Ivorian President from 1993 until 1999.

A visit by former President Bédié to South Africa in September 1998 was the first by an Ivorian Head of State. Through the visit, deeper relations between the two countries were forged.

President Ramaphosa said: “We send our deepest condolences to the family of former President Bédié and to the people of Côte d’Ivoire in general. We mourn with them and share in their loss.”

The passing of former President Bédié comes at a time when the African continent is faced with great challenges which require continental cooperation and unity to advance the goals of the African Union for peace, security, and development.

It is therefore imperative that Cote d'Ivoire and South Africa work together to bring peace and stability to the continent.

Advancing South Africa's international interests - Working Visit to the Russian Federation

President Cyril Ramaphosa concluded a successful working visit to the Russian Federation where, together with Leaders of African countries, a clear call for tangible and mutually beneficial and effective cooperation between Russia and the countries of the African Continent was made, during the 2nd Russia-Africa Summit, which took place in the country's cultural capital, St. Petersburg.

President Ramaphosa welcomed the Summit Declaration that included cooperation in a number of strategic areas, including Science and Technology, Energy, Trade and Investments, and Defense and Security Cooperation. The President highlighted the importance of a monitoring and evaluation mechanism that will assess the level and pace of implementation of the Summit commitments. 

President Ramaphosa concluded his working visit to Russia with a meeting at the Konstantinovsky Palace where the two Presidents discussed South Africa and Russia’s bilateral relationship, which is built on strategic partnerships in several areas of cooperation, including energy, industry, and agriculture. 

The discussions further sought to strengthen the two countries’ cooperation in the areas of education, science and technology, with a particular focus on space and satellite technology development. 

Joint Statement issued following the engagement between the Leaders of the African Peace Initiative and the President of the Russian Federation

On 28 July 2023, in Saint-Petersburg, the leaders of the seven countries leading the African Peace Initiative and the President of the Russian Federation continued their discussion on the African Peace Initiative, which they started on 17 June 2023.

African Leaders attending the meeting on 28 July 2023 were:

- President Azali Assoumani of the Comoros in his capacity as Chair of the African Union
- President Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa
- President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo
- President Abdel Fattah-el Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt
- President Macky Sall of the Republic of Senegal
- President Yoweri  Museveni of the Republic of Uganda
- Foreign Minister of Zambia, Stanley  Kakubo.

The Leaders recognised progress achieved since then on proposals they discussed at the first meeting on 17 June 2023 on humanitarian issues, in particular, related to the rights of children in areas of armed activities and prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine, and agreed that humanitarian efforts would continue to bring further results.

The Leaders called for specific steps to remove obstacles to Russian grain and fertilizer exports, thus allowing the resumption of the full implementation of the Black Sea package initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General as endorsed on 22 July 2022 in Istanbul.

The Leaders also called upon the United Nations to take necessary action in order to release 200 thousand tons of Russian fertilizer blocked in European Union seaports for immediate and free delivery to African countries.

The Leaders agreed to continue their dialogue on the African Peace Initiative so that a door to peace can be opened.

Telephone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

On Wednesday, 2 August 2023, President Cyril Ramaphosa held a telephone discussion with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada. The Prime Minister expressed his deep appreciation for the 600 South African firefighters that demonstrated excellence and diligence during their support in extinguishing the wild fires that ravaged parts of Canada. In turn, Prime Minister Trudeau offered Canada’s support in the event South Africa experiences any form of disaster in the near future. 

The Prime Minister also expressed his appreciation for South Africa’s contribution to the African Peace Initiative to Russia and Ukraine, and committed his support to search for a peaceful solution to the conflict. Both leaders agreed to continue their bilateral cooperation and to further collaborate in 2025, when Canada hosts the G7 summit, while South Africa will be hosting the G20.

Lady R Panel Investigation

The Panel concluded its investigations on 18 July 2023 in accordance with the established deadline. The panel received a late submission, which caused a minor delay. However, the Chair of the panel did not request a deadline extension. On Friday, 4 August 2023, the report will be completed and will be ready to be handed to the President as soon as his schedule permits. Following the President’s consumption of the report, he will decide on the actions to be followed and on the aspects of the report that will be made public. 
 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - +27 82 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria