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Daily Maverick
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
What role, if any, is South Africa playing in Ukraine peace efforts?
President Cyril Ramaphosa has been in direct telephonic contact with all the main players, but it is unclear just how significant a role South Africa can, or will play. Before the big Ukraine war peace summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday, 15 August 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa had phone calls last week with the three key players, Putin, Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky – who is, inexplicably, not invited to the Alaska meeting. Were Ramaphosa's calls an indication that he and South Africa have a role to play in trying to end Russia's brutal war on Ukraine, now in its 42nd month? Or was this merely some sort of diplomatic name-dropping? It's clear from the statement by his office that Ramaphosa and Trump mainly discussed tariffs and other aspects of the fraught South Africa-US relationship. Whether they also talked about Trump's peace efforts in Ukraine is unclear. But peace was, of course, the main focus of Ramaphosa's calls with Putin on Thursday, 7 August and Zelensky on 8 August. The Kremlin statement said Putin had shared with Ramaphosa the main results of his conversation the day before in Moscow with Trump's special envoy on the peace process, Steven Witkoff. Putin also complimented the African Peace Initiative, the delegation of Africans which Ramaphosa led in June 2023, meeting Zelensky in Kyiv and Putin in St Petersburg. Ramaphosa's office later said Putin had asked to brief the President on the peace process and had 'expressed his recognition and appreciation for South Africa's involvement in advancing a peace process between Russia and Ukraine'. Call with Zelensky, cryptic statements A day later, Zelensky posted on X that his call with Ramaphosa had been 'a friendly and candid conversation about how to achieve real peace and stop the killings'. He said Ramaphosa had shared details of his conversation with 'the Russian side' (Putin) and was adamant that 'the path to peace must begin with a ceasefire'. Ramaphosa's office said Zelensky 'expressed his appreciation for South Africa's continued support in finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict'. These statements were rather cryptic. Zelensky and Putin are poles apart on how to end this vicious war, yet both expressed appreciation for Ramaphosa's contributions to peace efforts. So what did Ramaphosa say, what advice, if any, did he give? No one who really knows seems to be saying. Jalel Harchaoui, a political scientist at the Royal United Services Institute, said he believed 'Ramaphosa couldn't possibly have said anything of relevance' in his phone calls with Zelensky and Putin. And Ramaphosa's conversations with Zelensky and Putin were probably 'just standard fare', underlining his general narrative that he wants a ceasefire. 'And that does not mean over-concern about Ukraine's territorial integrity or the status of the occupied territories,' said Samuel Ramani, lecturer in politics and international relations at Oxford University (and author of the book, Russia in Africa). 'Moreover, South Africa wants to be seen as supportive of a key Trump initiative to help it deal with the US 30% import tariffs. So I think this is largely routine from him. I wouldn't read too much into it,' he said. Peace talks in SA? One source suggested, however, that a future round of the peace talks starting in Alaska could be held in South Africa. Was this discussed in the phone calls? Dzvinka Kachur, co-founder of the Ukrainian Association in South Africa, noted that Ramaphosa had in the past spoken about the importance of Ukraine's territorial integrity, and so she hoped that he underscored this in his call with Putin. It should also be noted that Zelensky made about 30 calls to international leaders last week to underscore his point that no Ukraine peace negotiations were possible without Ukraine in the room, and that a ceasefire should be unconditional, rather than conditioned on territorial concessions, as the US had initially suggested. And it is understood that Putin also initiated the call to Ramaphosa. Nevertheless Ramaphosa's phone conversations – and there have been others, as well as Zelensky's visit to Pretoria in April and Ramaphosa's in-person meeting with Putin at the BRICS+ summit in Kazan in October 2024 – do prompt the wider question of whether Ramaphosa and South Africa are playing any kind of real role in the Ukraine peace process, and if so what is the contribution, and what should it be? Kachur noted that South Africa was playing a concrete role in the attempts to return some of the about 20,000 Ukrainian children abducted by Russia after its invasion of Ukraine and deported to Russia. When Zelensky met Ramaphosa in Pretoria, he gave him a list of 400 abducted children who South Africa promised to try to return – but with no success and no visible progress so far. African Peace Initiative But Kachur believes there is much South Africa and Ramaphosa could still do for Africa and otherwise. The 2023 African Peace Initiative remained important, not only because of those direct impacts which Ramani mentioned – such as African food insecurity caused by Russia's blockade of Ukraine's grain exports. It also remained important because the Ukraine war also had wider, deeper and longer impacts on principles important to Africa, such as restitution for war damages, accountability for aggression, reframing borders, and the future of the UN system. She also noted that Russia's questionable presence in the Central African Republic, Mali and Niger through the Wagner private security company and its successor, the Africa Corps, had direct negative outcomes for the human rights, safety and security of the continent. 'The illegal, undocumented export of raw materials from these countries also provides Russia with the funding to continue the aggression. This is not bringing any benefits to the continent, but creates more trauma, undocumented weapons and suffering.' And she believes that given its history and role as a champion of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, South Africa could and should be doing more to ensure nuclear safety – which has been jeopardised by Russia's military capture of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Perhaps Ramaphosa was conveying messages in his phone calls with Zelensky and Putin, said Steven Gruzd, head of the Africa-Russia project at the South African Institute of International Affairs in Johannesburg. 'But I don't think South Africa is playing any major role in peacemaking between Ukraine and Russia. 'I don't see much room and evidence of us being a major peacemaker. 'The African Peace Initiative didn't really go very far. And there was not much follow-up. I don't think the money or the infrastructure has been put behind it to really make it a serious effort.' Gruzd added though that South Africa had also 'taken measures to appear less one-sided (i.e. pro-Russian) in this conflict, the biggest being Zelensky's visit to SA in April'. He thought that South Africa could play a bigger role in the Ukraine peace effort but that would require US support, which could in turn improve its poor relations with Washington. And he noted that South Africa has attended most of Zelensky's international peace formula meetings (which began in 2023) and is working on two points of the formula – returning kidnapped Ukrainian children and exchanging prisoners of war. Denys Reva, researcher at the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria, said those meetings still continued at a lower level (mainly, it seems, on the return of the abducted children). And although the African Peace Initiative did not seem to still exist as a formal grouping, South Africa had been engaging in different peace processes, promoting the values of the African peace plan, including advancing African interests and values. For example, at the UN in New York in September 2024, South Africa joined the 'Friends for Peace' group backing the China-Brazil peace plan (which Zelensky strongly opposes because he believes it serves Moscow's interests mainly because it does not demand the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine, as his plan does). Read more: War in Ukraine 'Realistically, no single initiative has yet succeeded in bringing peace,' Reva says. 'Pretoria seems to have shifted its emphasis towards humanitarian concerns, rather than positioning itself as a primary broker of a peace settlement.' He added that 'SA's readiness to mediate the return of the children is an important humanitarian contribution amid stalled negotiations elsewhere. I think Pretoria has been fairly consistent in this regard, and I think that both Kyiv and Moscow probably welcome South African efforts.' And he said both Kyiv and Moscow also see South Africa as crucial in improving their relations with Africa. Ramani said: 'I'm not hearing too much about South Africa being an influential interlocutor.' He added that other countries of the Global South were playing a greater peace role, citing the United Arab Emirates, which he said had hoped to host Friday's summit between Trump and Putin. However, he also added that South Africa was probably doing its best to ensure that the voice of Africa was heard in the Ukraine peace process, and that this was important because the war had significant implications for food security, supply chains and many other things that impacted Africa's socioeconomic development so profoundly. DM
The Citizen
27-04-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Freedom Day: 'SA a free and sovereign country, not province of US'
Mantashe South Africa showed the world that it is possible to move beyond a 'bitter history'. As the country celebrates 31 years of freedom, acting president Gwede Mantashe said the world's eyes were 'glued on South Africa'. Mantashe was delivering the keynote address at the national Freedom Day celebration at the AJ Swanepoel Stadium in Ermelo, Mpumalanga, on Sunday. President Cyril Ramaphosa was expected to deliver the address, but he was booked off with the flu. Unity Mantashe said Freedom Day is to celebrate the 'unity of all South Africans.' 'On this Freedom Day, we honour our past, confront the present, and shape our future – together. 'We are a free country, we are a sovereign country, we are not a province of the United States… We will not allow anyone to define us, tell us what to do or who we are. We must reject all attempts to divide us or racialise us.' [WATCH] Acting President Gwede Mantashe says President Cyril Ramaphosa is unwell and was therefore unable to address the #FreedomDay celebrations. #Newzroom405 — Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) April 27, 2025 ALSO READ: Freedom Day: Ramaphosa not feeling well as country marks 31 years of freedom Moving on Speaking about the DA, Mantashe, South Africa, showed the world that it is possible to move beyond a 'bitter history'. 'To talk to the DA is a picnic. But if you want to build something, you form a coalition of forces. They are condemning. They are condemning forces, they want to fight over everything, whether it is the budget or anything they fight. 'Ideology has no colour, ideology is the mindset. We can leave the DA but I'm not sure if MKP and EFF are better options. They are so aggressive and hostile against the ANC. So it's like choosing a devil and running to the fire, that's it. You run away from the devil, you get into the fire. You burn in any way,' Mantashe said. [WATCH] "You run away from the devil, you get into the fire," Acting President Gwede Mantashe says the ANC is not sure if the MK Party and EFF are better options to the DA in the GNU. #Newzroom405 — Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) April 27, 2025 Solidarity Mantashe said South Africa have been sought out by countries embroiled in conflict, hoping to learn from 'our experience with national reconciliation, conflict resolution and dialogue.' 'We are committed to assisting where we can to contribute to peace. This week we received a visit from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, where we discussed the role South Africa can play through the African Peace Initiative in contributing to the end of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.' Mantashe added the South Africa continues to stand in solidarity with the victims of conflict and war. He reflected on the struggle to end Apartheid in South Africa and the responsibility to further help bring peace to other warring nations. 'We stand with the peoples of Palestine, of Western Sahara, of the eastern DRC, of Sudan, of Yemen, and with victims of gender oppression in Afghanistan and other parts of the world.' Serving the nation Mantashe said that before 1994, the government of the country served only 8% of the population. 'Some people feel we have deteriorated. But we remind ourselves and our people that before 1994, the government of the country served only 8% of the population. Today, it is serving every member of this population.' [WATCH] Acting President Gwede Mantashe says: "Before 1994, the government of the country served only 8% of the population. Today, it's serving every member of this population; every citizen has a right to basic services." — SABC News (@SABCNews) April 27, 2025 Mantashe said every citizen has the right to basic services and has the right to participate in the 'shaping government.' 'That's why we elect every five years,' he said. ALSO READ: 'No change in 30 years': Freedom Day anniversary has subsided into despair
IOL News
24-04-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Ramaphosa and Trump sing from same hymn book on Ukraine conflict
Volodymyr Zelenskyy's has cut short his State visit to South Africa. Image: Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP President Cyril Ramaphosa and United States President Donald Trump have pledged to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict as soon as possible. The two leaders discussed the ongoing war during a telephonic meeting on Thursday, ahead of Ramaphosa's meeting in SA with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky arrived in SA Thursday morning on an official working visit to find solutions around the war. Ramaphosa said that he and Trump "both agreed that the war should be brought to an end as soon as possible to prevent further death and destruction." The SA President emphasised the need for diplomacy and dialogue to achieve a peaceful resolution to the conflict. "If there is one thing that our history has taught us, it is that diplomacy and dialogue are more powerful than any weapon," Ramaphosa said. Ramaphosa's comments come as SA continues to play a role in promoting peace efforts in Ukraine. In June 2023, Ramaphosa visited Kyiv as part of the African Peace Initiative, and SA has since participated in the Ukraine Peace Formula. Ramaphosa said that SA stands ready to continue to support all credible and inclusive multilateral efforts aimed at achieving a just, sustainable, and comprehensive peace. During his meeting with Zelensky, Ramaphosa reaffirmed the bonds of friendship and solidarity that exist between SA and Ukraine. Ramaphosa said the two leaders discussed ways to consolidate and deepen bilateral relations, including cooperation in areas such as agriculture, trade, education, and infrastructure. He noted that Ukraine has provided support to South Africa during its liberation struggle and that a number of exiled South Africans received training and education in Ukraine. Ramaphosa welcomed Ukraine's efforts to expand relations with the African continent, including the provision of grain in areas of food stress in west and east Africa and the opening of a grain hub at the Port of Mombasa in Kenya. "We note the provision of grain in areas of food stress in west and east Africa, the expansion of agricultural cooperation, and the opening of a grain hub at the Port of Mombasa in Kenya," Ramaphosa said. Ramaphosa and Trump also discussed the deteriorating diplomatic relationship between SA and the US. The two leaders agreed to meet soon to address the various issues affecting their countries' relations. "President Trump and I also agreed to meet soon to address the various other matters regarding our relations between South Africa and the USA," Ramaphosa said. "We both spoke about the need to foster good relations between our two countries." Earlier in the week, Ramaphosa had a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where they both committed to working together towards a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Ramaphosa stressed the importance of engaging all parties to conflicts to achieve peaceful, just, and enduring solutions. Zelensky said his country was open to unconditional ceasefire welcoming SA's. He further said Ukraine wanted to grow its presence on the African continent. However Zelensky had to cut short his state visit to return to the capital, Kyiv, after it was hit at dawn by a bomb that reportedly killed at least eight people.
Daily Maverick
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Zelensky touches down at Lanseria on the first visit to SA by a Ukrainian head of state
He will meet President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday in Pretoria for official talks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in South Africa early on Thursday, 24 April for official talks with President Cyrl Ramaphosa later in the day in Pretoria. Zelensky and his wife, First Lady Olena Zelenska, arrived at Lanseria Airport outside Johannesburg in the dark. He was greeted by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola and other officials as well as Ukraine's ambassador to South Africa, Liubov Abravitova. A military guard lined the red carpet as Zelensky stepped onto South African soil for the first time. It is also his first visit as president to Africa. Zelensky was scheduled to arrive at the Union Buildings in Pretoria at 11am for his official meeting with Ramaphosa. Read more: War in Ukraine The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) said this first visit by a Ukrainian head of state to South Africa 'follows on the visit to Ukraine by President Ramaphosa, as part of the Africa Peace Initiative to Ukraine on 16 June 2023'. 'The visit provides South Africa and Ukraine with an opportunity to discuss bilateral relations and expand bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, agriculture and education. It will also explore areas of cooperation with the objective to support efforts to bring lasting peace.' It is understood that South African agricultural organisations are keen to make deals to import Ukrainian agricultural produce including wheat and fertiliser. Other areas of cooperation might include digital governance. Apart from the African Peace Initiative which Dirco referred to, South Africa has been participating in Zelensky's own international peace formula talks and also agreed in 2024 to contribute to negotiations for the return of Ukrainian children abducted and deported to Russia during Russia's occupation of eastern and southern Ukraine. Zelensky arrives in South Africa at a moment when US President Donald Trump is putting pressure on him to accept a peace deal with Russia that would require Ukraine to give up the large swathes of its territory occupied by Russia and to abandon its ambitions to join Nato. Zelensky rejected the US plan flatly. 'There is nothing to talk about,' Zelensky said. 'This violated our constitution. This is our territory, the territory of Ukraine.' Trump retorted on social media that the Ukrainian president was being 'inflammatory' and said he would only 'prolong the 'killing field'. Ramaphosa and Zelensky will have a joint press conference after their meeting on Thursday morning. Zelensky is then expected to meet members of the Ukrainian community in South Africa and will brief South African and African journalists this afternoon. DM
The South African
23-04-2025
- Politics
- The South African
Zelensky in SA: Do you remember Ramaphosa's rocky Kyiv trip in 2023?
Zelensky's visit to South Africa comes nearly two years after Ramaphosa's troubled diplomatic mission to Kyiv, providing an opportunity to reset strained relations. Al Jazeera reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa faced a series of diplomatic and logistical challenges during his June 2023 visit to Kyiv as part of the African Peace Initiative. Raising questions about South Africa's role in mediating the Russia-Ukraine conflict. President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit South Africa for a reciprocal diplomatic engagement nearly two years later. Offering both countries a chance to refocus their relationship and revisit the broader goals of peace and cooperation. CNN reported that Ramaphosa travelled to Ukraine alongside several other African leaders with the aim of promoting dialogue between Kyiv and Russia. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa led an African delegation on a peace mission to Ukraine. Where they faced explosions and had to shelter in bunkers amid airstrikes on the capital, Kyiv. eNCA reported that the African delegation's peace proposal, which called for de-escalation and negotiations, received a lukewarm reception from both Ukraine and Russia, with critics arguing that the plan lacked practical enforcement mechanisms. This context sets the stage for Zelensky's upcoming visit to Pretoria on 24 April 2025. The first official visit by a Ukrainian head of state to South Africa. According to the South African Presidency, the leaders will explore cooperation in trade, agriculture, and education. While continuing discussions on peace efforts related to the conflict in Eastern Europe. By hosting Zelensky, Pretoria appears to signal its commitment to balanced diplomatic engagement with both sides of the conflict, despite past difficulties. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
