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Eyewitness News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Ramaphosa pokes fun at Oval Office meeting with Trump
CAPE TOWN - President Cyril Ramaphosa has poked fun at last week's meeting in the Oval Office, saying he's now triggered by the dimming of lights. Midway through a meeting with United States (US) President Donald Trump last week, Trump ordered his staff to darken his office to play a clip of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema chanting the struggle song 'Kill the Boer' on a television placed in the office. ALSO READ: On Tuesday, as the lights dimmed at the Century City Convention Centre where Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address at the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium, he joked that he's now on high alert when this happens. As Ramaphosa took the stage at the symposium, he looked quizzically at Radio 702 host Clement Manyathela, saying he thought he was in for another surprise. Manyathela is the master of ceremonies at the symposium and was also one of the South African journalists present in the Oval Office during Ramaphosa's meeting with Trump last week. 'So, when I came in, I saw the room going a bit dark. They darkened the room, and for a moment, I wondered, what is this? It's happening to me again [laughs].' Reflecting on this meeting, Ramaphosa said he thought he had just found his groove in his discussion with Trump when the lights were dimmed. 'A number of people have said this was an ambush, this was an ambush, and I was bemused. I was saying, what's happening [laughs]?' Ramaphosa joked that seeing Manyathela on Tuesday was a flashback to that occasion and made him think that Manyathela could have something to do with repeating what they both experienced in the Oval Office.
The South African
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The South African
Here's the real reason why Mcebisi Jonas was NOT at the White House
The South African Presidency has firmly denied claims that Special Envoy to the United States, Mcebisi Jonas, was excluded from President Cyril Ramaphosa's high-level delegation to Washington due to visa complications. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya clarified that Jonas's absence during the meeting with US President Donald Trump was at his own request and had no bearing on the official programme. 'The Presidency acknowledges recent commentary regarding Mr Jonas and deems it prudent to provide clarity,' Magwenya stated. 'Initial interpretations of procedural matters, communicated in good faith, have been amended following confirmation that Mr Jonas holds a valid US visa.' Speculation around Jonas's exclusion intensified after reports surfaced alleging the Trump administration raised objections linked to past remarks Jonas made, referring to Trump as 'a racist, a homophobe, and a narcissistic right-winger.' The comments, made in 2020 when Jonas was not serving in government, resurfaced following his appointment as envoy in April. In response, Mcebisi Jonas said, 'People move on and confront challenges of the time. The task at hand is to work on the relations between the two countries.' While Magwenya reiterated that Jonas's absence was voluntary, he also acknowledged during an interview with Radio 702 that there had been 'displeasure' from the Trump administration over Jonas's past remarks – a sentiment echoed in a post by respected journalist Clement Manyathela on X. Magwenya added that the Presidency may reconsider Jonas's role should tensions remain unresolved, noting that the goal remains to maintain constructive diplomatic engagement between South Africa and the United States. Without Mcebisi Jonas, the delegation comprised Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau, and Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen. Cyril Ramaphosa also leveraged President Trump's passion for golf by inviting South African pro golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen. In addition, Ramaphosa was accompanied by Johann Rupert, the Founder of Richemont and Chairman of Remgro. The delegation also included Vice President of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) Adrian Gore and President of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Zingiswa Losi. 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.
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Mcebisi Jonas blocked from US meeting due to past comments on Trump
Reports states that Special envoy Mcebisi Jonas will not be part of the South African delegation meeting US President Donald Trump on Wednesday. MVEBISI Jonas's previous comments that US president Donald Trump was "a racist, homophobic and a narcissistic right-winger" blocked his inclusion from the South African delegation that visited the White House's Oval Office on Wednesday. Jonas became South Africa's presidential envoy to US but he had to catch the action from the sidelines on the say so of US government officials. THE South African Presidency has reportedly confirmed that Mcebisi Jonas, who was appointed as Special Envoy to the United States, was not part of the meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and former US President Donald Trump due to concerns raised by Trump's administration. 'Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed to me while I was speaking to @JohnPerlman on @Radio702 that part of the reason Mcebisi Jonas (presidential envoy to US) is not here because the Trump administration raised some 'displeasure' about him,' EWN journalist Clement Manyathela wrote on his X platform. According to Manyathela, Mangwenya said the president may had to consider other options should the issues not be resolved around Jonas.
IOL News
21-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Mcebisi Jonas excluded from Trump talks with Ramaphosa after previously calling Trump ‘racist'
Reports states that Special envoy Mcebisi Jonas will not be part of the South African delegation meeting US President Donald Trump on Wednesday. Image: FILE The South African Presidency has reportedly confirmed that Mcebisi Jonas, who was appointed as Special Envoy to the United States, will not be part of the upcoming meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and former US President Donald Trump due to concerns raised by Trump's administration. 'Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirms to me while I was speaking to @JohnPerlman on @Radio702 that part of the reason Mcebisi Jonas (presidential envoy to US) is not here is because the Trump administration raised some 'displeasure' about him,' EWN's Clement Manyathela wrote on his X. According to him, Mangwenya said the president may have to consider other options should the issues not be resolved around Jonas. Magwenya also indicated that the president may have to consider alternative envoys if the matter is not resolved, Manyathela said Jonas, who previously served as deputy finance minister, has come under scrutiny for remarks made in 2020, in which he referred to Trump as "a racist, homophobic and a narcissistic right-winger." The comments resurfaced shortly after Ramaphosa announced Jonas's appointment last month. IOL News previously reported that Jonas addressed the controversy, saying his comments were made while he was outside of government and speaking in the capacity of an activist. 'People move on and confront challenges of the time,' Jonas said. 'The reality of the matter is that the task at hand is to work on the relations between the two countries.' Ramaphosa is scheduled to meet with Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday at 12:45 p.m. EDT (6:45 p.m. SAST). This as Pretoria seeks to reset strained relations with Washington, a major trading partner and investor in South Africa. Relations between the two countries have deteriorated in recent years, especially during Trump's second term. Tensions escalated after Trump criticised South Africa's land reform policy, claiming it allowed for the seizure of land from white Afrikaner farmers, a claim the South African government has rejected. Further damage to the relationship came in February, when the US cut HIV and AIDS funding to South Africa. More recently, Washington granted refugee status to 49 white South Africans, citing racial discrimination, another assertion strongly denied by Pretoria. Ramaphosa appointed Jonas in April as the official envoy to the US, tasking him with advancing South Africa's diplomatic, trade and bilateral priorities. Jonas was expected to lead negotiations and engage with US government officials and private-sector leaders. Jonas previously served as one of four Presidential Investment Envoys appointed by Ramaphosa in 2018 to attract foreign investment into South Africa. Meanwhile, former South African Ambassador to the US Ebrahim Rasool has returned to Cape Town after being expelled from Washington. Rasool was declared 'persona non grata' by the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio following comments he made during a webinar criticising the Trump administration. The US government gave Rasool a week to leave the country. IOL Politics
IOL News
30-04-2025
- IOL News
Where is the VW Polo? Police chief believes car carrying three constables went into Hennops River
Police believe that white Volkswagen Polo hatchback which was occupied by three members of SAPS went into Hennops River in Centurion, and it was swept away by the water current. Image: Screengrab The white Volkswagen Polo hatchback which was occupied by three members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) went into Hennops River in Centurion, Tshwane, before it was swept away by the water current. National police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola said he is sure the VW Polo went into the river. Speaking to Radio 702, Masemola said pieces of the VW Polo were found at the crash scene. "At the point of impact, which is the bridge on the Hennops River, just opposite Makro Centurion, we did find pieces of the vehicle, even pieces with the paint that matches, that are of similar colour of the vehicle our members were driving. "There is no doubt that the car indeed went into the river there," he said. Three SAPS constables Cebekhulu Linda, Keamogetswe Buys and Boipelo Senoge were travelling in a white Volkswagen Polo from Bloemfontein to their area of deployment in Limpopo when they went missing. Image: SAPS Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Three SAPS constables Boipelo Senoge, Cebekhulu Linda, Keamogetswe Buys were travelling in a Volkswagen Polo hatchback from Bloemfontein to their area of deployment in Limpopo when they went missing. Image: SAPS
