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Cyril Ramaphosa

Cyril Ramaphosa

President of South Africa

Appears in 5 stories

Born: November 17, 1952 (age 73 years), Soweto, South Africa
Spouse: Tshepo Motsepe (m. 1996) and Nomazizi Mtshotshisa (m. 1991–1993)
Previous offices: Chairperson of the African Union (2020–2021) and Deputy President of South Africa (2014–2018)
Party: African National Congress
Education: University of South Africa (1981)

Notable Quotes

We South Africans know what apartheid looks like. We lived through apartheid. We suffered and died under apartheid. We will not remain silent and watch as apartheid is perpetrated against others. — September 2024, UN General Assembly

After decades of dispossession, repression, and oppression, the people of Gaza are facing genocide. We cannot but be moved to action by the slaughter of tens of thousands of civilians. — October 2025, University of Malaya

"The devastation is catastrophic. In Vhembe District, houses were flooded and people lost their possessions. In Mopani District, 36 houses were completely wiped away." — January 15, 2026

Stories

US reshapes G20 membership and agenda for Miami summit

Rule Changes

Leading diplomatic response to exclusion

The Group of Twenty, operating by consensus since 1999, hosts its December 2026 summit at Trump National Doral Miami. For the first time, it's excluding South Africa—a founding member—and seating Poland instead, the world's twentieth-largest economy.

Updated 2 days ago

Israel and South Africa diplomatic rupture

Force in Play

Leading South Africa's diplomatic confrontation with Israel

South Africa and Israel have expelled each other's top diplomats, leaving neither country with a senior representative in the other. On January 30, 2026, South Africa declared Israeli chargé d'affaires Ariel Seidman persona non grata for using embassy social media to insult President Cyril Ramaphosa. Hours later, Israel reciprocated by expelling South Africa's chargé d'affaires Shaun Byneveldt. Both were ordered to leave within 72 hours.

Updated 3 days ago

Southern Africa's La Niña floods kill 200+ across three nations

Force in Play

Leading national disaster response; conducted site visits to both Limpopo and Mpumalanga

Torrential rains driven by La Niña have killed more than 200 people across Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe since late December 2025. South Africa declared a national disaster on January 18, 2026, after floods killed at least 37 in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and other provinces, destroyed thousands of homes, and washed away roads and bridges.

Updated 7 days ago

BRICS+ naval exercise exposes fault lines in non-aligned bloc

Force in Play

Defending non-alignment policy while hosting sanctioned nations

Chinese destroyers, Russian corvettes, and Iranian warships sailed into Simon's Town on January 9 for a week-long joint exercise led by China. Russia and Iran, both heavily sanctioned and fighting active wars, sent forces, while India and Brazil stayed away despite the BRICS branding.

Updated May 19

Trump freezes aid, threatens South Africa over land law

Force in Play

Defending land reform while seeking to salvage US relations

President Trump cut all US aid to South Africa on February 7, 2025—$440 million annually, most for HIV treatment—over a land law allowing seizure without compensation. He called it discrimination against white farmers.

Updated May 19