The Latest Breaking News from Cyril Ramaphosa

African leaders set to meet with presidents of Ukraine, Russia in bid to end war

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Ukraine in a delegation of African leaders and senior officials seeking ways to end Kyiv’s 15-month war with Russia

The Independent UK · Jun 16, 2023

African leaders travel to Ukraine and Russia on peace mission

A delegation of four African heads of state are headed to Kyiv and Saint Petersburg to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Vladimir Putin, in the latest in a series of mediation efforts aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Radio France Internationale · Jun 16, 2023

South African ties to Russia shadow Ukraine peace mission

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead a delegation of African leaders on a peace mission to Ukraine and Russia this week amid attempts to assuage Western concerns that South Africa is siding with Russia in the conflict despite its proclaimed neutrality – which has Ramaphosa doing a round of…

France 24 · Jun 15, 2023

South Africa grants Putin and Brics leaders diplomatic immunity for summit

ICC warrant for Russian president’s arrest issued in March over alleged war crimes in Ukraine

The Guardian - UK · May 30, 2023

South Africa has changed its electoral law, but a much more serious overhaul is needed

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa recently signed into law a change to the country’s electoral act to allow individuals to contest national and provincial elections independently of political parties. The change follows a June 2020 constitutional court judgment that the Electoral Act was unconstitutional because it didn’t allow independent candidates.

The Conversation · May 30, 2023

South African president appoints judge to oversee weapons-for-Russia inquiry

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a judge to oversee an inquiry into allegations that the country supplied arms to Russia on a ship that docked secretly at a naval base in December

The Independent UK · May 29, 2023

South Africa to investigate U.S. allegations of arms shipment to Russia

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a panel to investigate U.S. allegations that a Russian ship had collected weapons from a naval base near Cape Town last year, the presidency said in a statement on Sunday.

Reuters · May 28, 2023

South Africa’s pact with Russia – and its actions – cast doubt on its claims of non-alignment

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 South Africa has proclaimed a policy of non-alignment in that conflict. This position was placed in doubt when US Ambassador Ruben Brigety claimed recently that he had evidence that South African arms and ammunition were loaded on a Russian ship in December…

The Conversation · May 28, 2023

Calls for unity dominate Africa Day celebrations

Calls for unity have dominated 60th anniversary celebrations for the continent-wide organization that preceded the African Union (AU)

The Independent UK · May 25, 2023

Arms-to-Russia row raises doubt about South Africa’s compliance with arms control. It could face tougher scrutiny in future

The recent furore over accusations by the US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, that South Africa was supplying arms to Russia despite its declared policy of non-alignment, has sparked a debate on whether the country’s arms control is lax, non-compliant and lacks oversight.

The Conversation · May 25, 2023