Cape Town - The Presidency rejects malicious media suggestions that Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa evaded answering questions in the NCOP on Wednesday 17 June 2015 on the recent attendance of the African Union Summit by Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir.

When the matter of President Al Bashir was raised during question time, NCOP Chairperson Ms Thandi Modise ruled that the matter was still before the courts and that an investigation was underway into the circumstances of President Al Bashir’s departure from South Africa. The   Chairperson ruled that the question could therefore not be put to Deputy President Ramaphosa.

Following this ruling, there was no expectation for Deputy President Ramaphosa to deal with the matter any further. Accordingly, suggestions in some media that Deputy President had ‘’evaded” or “dodged’’ answering questions on President Al Bashir are baseless, malicious, misleading. It is hard to understand that some sections of the media could blatantly misrepresent a straightforward ruling by the presiding officer in an open session of Parliament. Media owe it to the public to tell the truth.

Deputy President Ramaphosa comprehensively responded to all questions on the official order paper of the day, including follow up questions allowed in terms of rules and procedures of the NCOP.

Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa 082 990 4853

Issued by: The Presidency

Pretoria

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver an opening address at the Nedlac Summit tomorrow, Saturday, 20 June 2015 at 9h00 at the Gallagher Estate, Midrand.

President Jacob Zuma has tasked Deputy President Ramaphosa with the responsibility to convene social partner’s dialogue, within the ambit of NEDLAC to deliberate on national minimum wage, wage inequality and the violent nature and duration of labour strikes.

Nedlac is a forum that brings together social partners from government, labour, business and communities in developing effective policies to promote economic growth and increase participation in economic decision making and social equity in South Africa.

Media are invited as follows:

Time of address by Deputy President: 09h00 (members of the media to arrive at 8h30)

Venue: Gallagher Estate, Midrand.

Date: Saturday, 20 June 2015

Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa 082 990 4853 or Tyrone Seale 083 575 7440

Issued by: The Presidency

Pretoria

In view of claims made by Economic Freedom Fighters MPs in the National Assembly against Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa today, Wednesday 24 June 2015, the Presidency wishes to reiterate the following:

- It is a matter of public knowledge that the Deputy President Ramaphosa has divested from Shanduka Group and holds no mining interests.

- Deputy President Ramaphosa’s divestment, announced in November 2014, is the result of a process that he initiated to remove the potential for any conflicts of interest.

- Deputy President Ramaphosa was assigned by Cabinet in December 2014 to lead the Eskom war room, which is focused solely on the implementation of government’s five point plan to address the current electricity constraints facing the country and does not stand to benefit personally from these processes

The Presidency calls on the EFF to have the courage of its conviction to substantiate their claims or withdraw them.

Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Issued by: The Presidency

Pretoria

Pretoria – In response to media queries, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has noted the release of the Farlam Commission Report into the Marikana Tragedy by President Jacob Zuma today Thursday 25 June 2015.

Deputy President Ramaphosa will study the contents of the report and will in due course provide his comment. Deputy President Ramaphosa voluntarily gave evidence to the Farlam Commission with a view to assisting the Commission to reach its conclusions.

Enquires: Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Issued by: The Presidency

Pretoria

Maseru - South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and SADC Facilitator on Lesotho has arrived in Maseru today, Tuesday 30 June 2015 for urgent consultations with the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho Phakalitha Mosisili, leaders of opposition parties and other stakeholders.

President Jacob Zuma in his capacity as the Chairperson of the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation made the decision for Deputy President Ramaphosa to urgently visit Lesotho following recent political and security developments in the Kingdom. These include the flight of three opposition political leaders and the killing of Brigadier Maaparankoe Mahao, former Commander of the Lesotho Defence Force.

Concerned with these developments a SADC Ministerial Organ fact-finding mission was sent to Lesotho from 26-29 June to assess the latest political and security developments in the country which compiled a report.

President Zuma will soon send an envoy to Harare to share his concerns about the security situation in Lesotho with the Chairperson of SADC President Robert Mugabe.

President Zuma has reiterated the need for all stakeholders in the Kingdom of Lesotho to resolve their political differences through legal and peaceful processes and further reiterated the pressing need to expedite the process of establishing institutional and security reforms.

President Zuma has reaffirmed the continued commitment of SADC to support the government and people of Lesotho to consolidate peace, security and stability in the country.

Deputy President Ramaphosa is expected to return to South Africa tomorrow on Wednesday 1 July 2015.

Ronnie Mamoepa at 082- 990-4853

Issued by: The Presidency

Pretoria

Pretoria - South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and SADC Facilitator on Lesotho will depart today, Tuesday 30 June 2015 for Maseru for urgent consultations with the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho Phakalitha Mosisili on the recent developments in the country.

President Jacob Zuma in his capacity as the Chairperson of the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation made the decision for Deputy President Ramaphosa to urgently visit Lesotho following recent political and security developments in the Kingdom. These   include the flight of three opposition political leaders and the killing of Brigadier Maaparankoe Mahao, former Commander of the Lesotho Defence Force.

Concerned with these developments a SADC Ministerial Organ fact-finding mission was sent to Lesotho from 26-29 June to assess the latest political and security developments in the country which compiled a report. President Zuma will soon send an envoy to Harare to share his concerns about the security situation in Lesotho with the Chairperson of SADC President Robert Mugabe.

President Zuma has reiterated the need for all stakeholders in the Kingdom of Lesotho to resolve their political differences through legal and peaceful processes and further reiterated the pressing need to expedite the process of establishing institutional and security reforms. President Zuma has reaffirmed the continued commitment of SADC to support the government and people of Lesotho to consolidate peace, security and stability in the country.

Deputy President Ramaphosa is expected to return to South Africa tomorrow, Wednesday 01 July 2015.

Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa 082 990 4853

Issued by: The Presidency

Pretoria

Maseru - South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa today Wednesday 01 July 2015 concluded his urgent visit to the Kingdom of Lesotho as directed by the Chairperson of the SADC Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, President Jacob Zuma.

During his visit Deputy President Ramaphosa paid a courtesy call on His Majesty King Letsie III, interacted with Prime Minister Phakalitha Mosisili and his government coalition partners, met the Lesotho Christian Council, civil society including Lesotho Chamber of Commerce,   College of Chiefs, Lesotho Law Society.

Deputy President Ramaphosa also visited the home of the slain former Commander of Lesotho Defence Force, Lt. General Maaparankoe Mahao where he met with the widow and other family members.

Deputy President Ramaphosa extended the invitation of President Jacob Zuma to Prime Minister Mosisili to attend the forthcoming SADC Double Troika Summit of Heads of State scheduled to be held in Pretoria later in the week.

Secondly, Deputy President Ramaphosa conveyed the response of President Jacob Zuma to the requests of Prime Minister Mosisili for SADC to provide investigators to assist in the investigation of the murder of Lt. General Mahao. In this regard, SADC member-states of Zimbabwe and Namibia will provide experts to assist in the investigation.

Thirdly, Deputy President Ramaphosa conveyed the decision of President Jacob Zuma to make two South African pathologists available to assist the Kingdom of Lesotho and the family of Lt. General Mahao during the post-mortem process.

Deputy President Ramaphosa further expressed the condolences of SADC and of President Jacob Zuma to the widow and family of the late Lt. General Mahao during a visit to his homestead in Maseru.

Deputy President Ramaphosa is expected to present his SADC Facilitation Report on Lesotho including reflections of the proposed constitutional and security sector reforms to the SADC Double Troika Summit of Heads of States in Pretoria later in the week.

Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Issued by: The Presidency

Pretoria 

Pretoria - The Presidency has noted plans by some in the political circles to lay charges against Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, senior government Ministers and officials following the release of the Farlam Commission Report into the Marikana Tragedy. 

In this regard we wish to state that in respect of the findings of the Farlam Commission related to Deputy President Ramaphosa personally, the Commission’s findings are clear. Accordingly, Deputy President Ramaphosa has nothing further to add.

Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Issued by: The Presidency

Pretoria

Deputy President David Mabuza, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Presidential Task Team on Military Veterans, will on Thursday, 26 May 2022, visit Mangaung in the Free State Province to engage with the Provincial Government and Military Veterans associations.
 
The meeting, which is scheduled to take place at the Bloemspruit Air Force Base in Mangaung, is aimed at providing a platform for the Presidential Task Team on Military Veterans, to provide updates and assessment on progress achieved by government, in addressing the challenges facing   Military Veterans.   
The Task Team, which is chaired by Deputy President Mabuza and includes the Minister in The Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Mondli Gungubele, the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Thandi Modise and Deputy Minister Mr Thabang Makwetla, was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to coordinate efforts to accelerate the pace of finding lasting solutions in addressing the Military Veterans issues.
  
In this regard, the Department of Military Veterans together with the Free State Provincial government will have the opportunity update Military Veterans on programmes and interventions developed to address their socio-economic needs.
 
Deputy President Mabuza will be supported by the Premier of the Free State province, Ms Segora Ntombela, the Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thabang Makwetla, and Members of the Provincial Executive Council together with senior government officials.
 
Members of the media are invited to cover the engagement as follows:
 
Date: Thursday, 26 May 2022
Time: 10H00
Venue: Bloemspruit Air Force Base, Mangaung
 
For accreditation please send your full details to Yolisa Blom on 072 130 9893 or yolisa@gcis.gov.za by no later than 17h00 on Wednesday, 25 May 2022.

Media Accreditation will be issued at Tempe Military Base from 07H00 - 09H00 on Thursday, 26 May 2022.


Media enquiries: Sam Bopape on 082 318 5251 

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Pretoria - In response to media queries, the Presidency wishes to reiterate that the SADC Double Troika Summit held in Pretoria on Friday 3   July 2015 reappointed Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to continue with his facilitation work for peace and stability in the Kingdom of Lesotho. This followed the recent killing of Lt. General Maaparankoe Mahao and the fleeing of several opposition leaders to South Africa.

An oversight committee which will act as early warning mechanism in the event of signs of instability will be established and intervene in  onsultation with the Facilitator, Deputy President Ramaphosa.

This renewal of the Facilitation Mandate also came against background of the tabling and endorsement of Deputy President Ramaphosa’s final report on his Facilitation process to restore peace and stability in Lesotho in 2014.

This facilitation process culminated in the signing of the Maseru Facilitation Accord, the Maseru Security Accord and the Electoral Pledge.

The signing of these agreements helped create a climate conducive for the re-opening of Lesotho’s parliament in 2014, the stabilisation of the security situation and the holding of democratic elections early this year which were declared free, fair and credible by electoral observer missions.

Deputy President Ramaphosa also tabled his reflections on the proposed constitutional and sector reforms to the SADC Double Troika Summit. These reflections were adopted by the Summit which made a call to all Lesotho’s political parties to implement the recommendations of the Facilitator, Deputy President Ramaphosa and urged them to undertake constitutional and security sector reforms assisted by SADC.

The SADC Double Troika also decided to establish a commission of enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Lt. General Maaparankoe Mahao while agreeing to second two pathologists from South Africa to assist with the post-mortem process.

Meanwhile, a team of investigators from Zimbabwe and Namibia would be made available to assist with investigation related to the death of Lt. General Mahao. In this regard SADC leaders conveyed their message of condolences to the Mahao family, his Majesty the King and the government of Lesotho.

Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Issued by: The Presidency

Pretoria