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Deputy Minister Mhlauli to host G20 dialogues with students in the Free State
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Deputy Minister in The Presidency, Nonceba Mhlauli, will on Tuesday, 14 October 2025 host a G20 dialogue with students at the Motheo TVET College in Bloemfontein, Free State Province.

The dialogue forms part of year-long G20 awareness outreach programme implemented by Government Communications and Information System (GCIS) in partnership with different stakeholders across the country which, among others, include civil society, traditional leadership, business and academia.

This programme will kick-start with an information exhibition wherein identified Government and non-government organisations will provide services and information to the students at the Motheo TVET College.

Members of the media are invited to cover the events to be held as follows:
 
Date: Tuesday, 14 October 2025
Time: 08h30
Venue: Motheo TVET College main campus, Bloemfontein
 
RSVP with Mr Motseki Ngubeni: GCIS, on 060 363 7725 / motseki@gcis.gov.za 

 

Media enquiries: Ms Mandisa Mbele, Office of the Deputy Minister in The Presidency, on 082 580 2213 or mandisam@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

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Eulogy by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Special Official Funeral of Ambassador of South Africa to the Republic of France, Mr Nkosinathi "Nathi" Mthethwa, KwaMbonambi, KwaZulu-Natal
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Programme Director;
My dear Sister and comrade, Ms Philisiwe Buthelezi and the children;
The Mthethwa family, nesizwe sonke soNyambose;
Ministers and Deputy Ministers;
Members of Parliament;
Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Thamsanqa Ntuli;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Leadership of the African National Congress and the Alliance;
Traditional leaders, nasebukhosini baka Mthethwa;
Religious leaders;
Fellow mourners;
 
Nina baka Dingiswayo,

We gather here today, in mourning and in gratitude, to honour the life of a remarkable leader—someone whose courage, conviction and compassion helped steer our nation toward freedom and justice. 

Comrade Nkosinathi Emmanuel Mthethwa has been taken away from us, yet in the echoes of his deeds, in the memories we share of him, and in the lives he touched, his spirit endures as does the many lessons we must learn from his illustrious life.

The man we are laying to rest today was an unapologetic activist. 

From the earliest days of his activism, Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa refused to accept the injustice of apartheid. 

Faced with laws that sought to divide, demean and destroy, he responded not with resignation, but with resolve. 

Whether organising workers at the Just Juice factory, organising underground meetings, mobilising young people, offering comfort where there was despair or organising for peaceful resistance, he placed himself on the frontlines – not because he sought glory, but because he believed in the correctness of our struggle for freedom and the dignity of every person.

For him living a life of activism was not just about protest – it was about purpose.

It was about committing yourself to something larger than personal comfort: justice, equality, dignity, freedom. 

It was about refusing to accept the world as it is, and working – every day – to build the world as it should be.

A life of activism is not easy. It’s often uncomfortable, even dangerous. But it is deeply human.

In essence the doctrine about activism is – even if I don’t benefit, I will fight for others to be free. Even if I am afraid, I will not be silent. Even if I fall, the struggle will go on.

That kind of approach to activism is powerful. That kind of life is meaningful. That kind of activism changes the world.

He knew from an early age that the path of activism he had chosen was a difficult one and that it would involve sacrifice. 

That he would pay a price. 

The price would be dismissal from his job at Just Juice where he was a shop steward, a loss of income. Perhaps it was exile. Perhaps arrest. Perhaps the heartbreak of seeing comrades fall, families torn apart, hopes threatened. 

Yet, even in adversity, Ambassador Mthethwa remained steady. He was a beacon to many, teaching us that freedom is never free, that resistance sometimes demands sacrifice, but that our highest obligation is to keep faith with the promise of human equality.

To Cde Nathi’s Mthethwa’s family: we know this loss is deeply personal. 

We recognise the many private sacrifices you made so that Comrade Nathi might carry public burdens. 

Today, we share your grief. We stand with you in sorrow, but also in pride: of a life lived with integrity, of a mission fulfilled that was bigger than any single person, but which needed people like Nyambose to bring it into being.

Today as we say goodbye, let us not simply mourn. Let us resolve. 

Let us honour Nathi Mthethwa’s memory by renewed commitment. By ensuring that the freedoms he fought and worked for are protected. By confronting inequality wherever it still exists. By raising our voices for those still voiceless. 

Let us live up to the ideals that inspired Comrade Nathi to fight for equality, justice, compassion and unity.

Much as we are here to accompany Ambassador Nkosinathi Emmanuel Mthethwa on his final journey more importantly we are here to return Nathi’s soul to this community, which gave him its blessing to leave and join the struggle for the liberation of our people.

He joined the anti-apartheid struggle in the early 1980s when he was barely a teenager.

Yet that youthful courage and that commitment saw him rise through the ranks to take up positions of leadership in the broader liberation movement.

Following his brave role as a shop steward in the food industry and as an underground activist he was recruited and became involved in the dangerous and high stakes President Tambo initiated Operation Vula. This was a signal of the confidence and trust that his comrades had in him. It was also a sign of his political maturity and his courage.

He was of a generation that came of age as our democracy was about to dawn.

It was a generation of young lions that saw the end of apartheid and ushered in a new era of freedom and justice.

Like our democracy, this generation was young. They were hopeful. They were full of vigour and purpose.

And at that young age, they shouldered many of the burdens of building a new nation.

Following the unbanning of ANC, Nathi carried his commitment forward into what would become a lifetime of leadership. He rose through the ranks of the Youth League, from regional secretary to National Executive roles.

He took on responsibilities as a branch secretary in Klaarwater, as regional secretary, then working on national organising. He became Member of Parliament in 2002, and from there he took up positions of ever greater responsibility - Chief Whip of the ANC, Chair of Parliamentary Committees, Minister of Police, then Minister of Arts, Culture, and Sport.

He served in Cabinet for about 15 years in various portfolios - portfolios that carried great weight in the lives of our people: safety and security, policing, culture, sport and heritage. He saw Public Service not just as a position of power, but as a duty. He believed that Government must serve, uplift, protect, and heal.

As Government and as his political home the African National Congress and the broader liberation movement, we thank the Mthethwa family for your sacrifice in supporting Nathi as a young activist and in his political leadership endeavours.

As we lay this gallant leader of our people to rest what shall we say of Nathi Mthethwa’s legacy? What endowments do we carry forward from his illustrious life?

What can we learn from the life of Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa that would be inspiring firstly to young people and secondly to those in the ANC and those in Government.

The life of Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa offers several deep and relevant lessons - for both young people and those within the ANC and Government - especially in a time when many are questioning the future of the struggle, leadership and Public Service.

I would suggest that he taught us what courage and commitment is. From being a shop steward, to his student days in Klaarwater, to being detained, to holding high office, he never lost sight of what drew him into the struggle: the belief that injustice must be opposed; that people deserve dignity, rights, opportunities.

He exhibited service before self. Friends and comrades say he was disciplined, loyal, sometimes controversial, but always believing he was working for “we, the people” — not for self-aggrandisement. He understood that leadership means responsibility, accountability, bearing burdens even when the path is difficult.

He was an advocate of culture, heritage and identity. 

As Minister of Arts, Culture and Sport, his work spoke to more than just policy. 

He believed in the power of culture to heal, to unite, to affirm who we are, people of many languages, many traditions, yet one nation. He believed in giving young people space to shine.

As ambassador, he took South Africa’s mission abroad seriously: not just in diplomacy, but in forging friendships, alliances, mutual respect. 

In doing so, he sought to ensure our story, our values, our hopes are known in the world, and that the world’s opportunities are open to us.

As Nathi Mthethwa started his activism as a young person what lessons does his life impart for young people.

Nathi Mthethwa didn’t begin as a Cabinet Minister or Ambassador - he began as a student leader in Klaarwater, organising at the grassroots level. 

He joined the Klaarwater Youth Organisation, not for status, but because he saw injustice and believed young people could make a difference. 

The lesson here is that you don’t have to wait to be powerful to be impactful. Leadership starts with action, commitment and courage at the local level.

Another important lesson from Nathi Mthethwa is that one must be willing to sacrifice for one’s beliefs. 

As part of the anti-apartheid underground and through Operation Vula, Mthethwa faced detention and political risk. He accepted the cost of standing for justice. 

Integrity may cost you comfort, but it builds character. Stand for something bigger than yourself.

Nathi Mthethwa didn’t give up activism after democracy was won. 

He committed to serving over decades - in youth structures, unions, Parliament, the Executive and eventually as a diplomat. His activism matured. 

A cause for a just and democratic society isn’t a season - it’s a lifetime commitment. Stay the course, evolve, but don’t abandon your values Nathi did not.

Many who knew Comrade Nathi described him as a “disciplined, loyal cadre” of the ANC. 

He wasn’t always the loudest or most public-facing, but he was reliable, consistent, and strategic. The lesson here is passion brings you into the struggle, but discipline keeps you in it. Organisation and consistency matter more than slogans.

The lessons from Nathi Mthethwa’s life for those in his organisation and in Government. Mthethwa moved from activist to administrator - and while his time in office had its critics, he represented a generation who took the responsibility of transforming the state seriously. 

He understood that freedom meant not only fighting for democracy, but building institutions, delivering services and protecting rights. Freedom without delivery is betrayal. Those in Government must see Public Service as a duty, not a reward.

As Minister of Arts and Culture, he championed the role of culture, history, and heritage in national healing. This was often overlooked, yet it is vital in a country where identity was weaponised under apartheid.

Our role as leaders is about promoting national cohesion and unity and preserving the nation’s identity, and national healing. Leaders must safeguard the soul of the nation, not just its infrastructure. Nathi Mthethwa dedicated himself to doing that.

Later in his career, Mthethwa took up a diplomatic post, far from the limelight. That shift shows humility - the willingness to serve the country even without the recognition that comes with politics and limelight.

True commitment means serving wherever you're needed, not only where you're visible. Leadership includes sacrifice of ego.

Mthethwa remained loyal to ANC principles, even amid difficult terrains. His life invites reflection on how to renew the ANC’s moral centre - not through rhetoric, but through conduct.

Loyalty to the movement must not mean silence in the face of wrongdoing. The ANC must reflect, renew, and reclaim its mission in honour of those like him.

In the end to all of us Nyambose’s lesson to us is let your life speak. You are not entitled to a leadership position or any benefit. Organise, serve, endure and grow. You are not too small to shape history.

Ambassador Mthethwa was at one time the editor-in-chief of the ANC’s journal, Umrabulo, and I quote from an article he wrote in 2013:

“True cadres never aspire to or have an uncontrollable lust to lead. The main motivation for true leaders is to serve the movement and the masses at any level.”

“The leadership emerges from the people, it learns to articulate and champions the aspirations, demands, fears and hopes of the people.”

Let your leadership be measured by service, humility, and fidelity to the people - not just the politics. Be builders of what was fought for.

Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa’s journey reminds us that it is not where you start that defines your legacy - but whether you remain faithful to the struggle for justice, the people you serve, and the principles that birthed our democracy.

Let his life be not just remembered - but emulated. We should go beyond just memorialising him today. We must take a leaf of lesson from his life.

To Philisiwe Buthelezi, his wife, to his children, to extended family: you have lost a husband, a father, a brother. The nation weeps with you. 

The state may offer ceremonies, honours, statements - but none of that replaces presence, love, grief. May you find strength in memories: of who he was at home, the laughter, the small acts of kindness, the ideals he lived by.

To his comrades in the ANC, to those who knew him in unions, in youth activism, in Parliament, in Government, in diplomacy: may you carry forward with humility what he showed by example. 

May you keep alive both his ideals and his complexity - the understanding that leadership is never perfect, that mistakes sometimes shadow the good that is one, but that courage to stand, to act, to love one’s country, is itself a virtue.

Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa is gone from among us, but not absent. His life’s work endures in the laws, in the institutions, in the people whose stories he touched. 

His voice, sometimes contentious, sometimes inspiring, was always part of the conversation that built our democracy.

Nathi Mthethwa championed the aspirations of our people and he did so with humility.

We will remember the Nathi Mthethwa who joined the underground movement barely out of childhood, a testament to a courage that few possess.

We will remember the Nathi Mthethwa who in his position as portfolio committee chair advocated for the rights of communities, and for the mining industry to be held to its commitments to uplift them.

We will remember the Nathi Mthethwa who sat with the victims of crime in their homes, offering words of solace and empathy – who during his tenure as Minister of Police spoke out against gender-based violence and opened victim empowerment facilities at police stations.

We have not forgotten the leadership he showed during violent protests directed at foreign nationals, nor his strong statements that helped to quell social tensions at the time. He distinguished himself as a true Pan Africanist and an Internationalist.

We know what his progressive stance would be as we have to deal with contemporary challenges on our continent and globally.

He would be troubled today as we hear news of the instability that is now unfolding in Madagascar and the cruel and senseless killing of civilians in the Sudan last night.

We have not forgotten that he was an advocate for the rights of our nation’s artists and performers, and that he championed legislative reform that would enable performers to benefit from their work, and render them less vulnerable to exploitation.

We have not forgotten his contribution to developing the creative economy.

May we be reminded to live with humility, and to lead with it even more.

To give credit where credit is due, and show mercy when we must.

To introspect more and judge less.

Ambassador Mthethwa served his people and served his country. For this we will forever remember him. And for his contribution, we thank him.

To the family, our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.

Hamba Kahle, Mkhonto. May your soul rest in eternal peace.

I thank you.

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President Ramaphosa to eulogise Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa funeral
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President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Sunday, 12 October 2025 deliver the eulogy in honour of the late Ambassador Emmanuel Nkosinathi “Nathi” Mthethwa in KwaMbonambi, KwaZulu-Natal.
  
The late Ambassador to France will be honoured with a Special Official Funeral Category 2 at KwaMbonambi in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, 12 October 2025. 

The Special Official Funeral Category 2 declared by President Ramaphosa will entail ceremonial elements performed by the South African Police Service (SAPS).

The late Ambassador Mthethwa served as South Africa’s Head of Mission in Paris, France, before passing away in the French capital on 30 September 2025, at the age of 58.

Details of the funeral are as follows:

Date: Sunday, 12 October 2025
Times: 09h00
Venue: Dondotha Stadium, KwaZulu-Natal

 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

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Deputy President Mashatile to undertake a Working Visit to Turkey
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The Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Mr Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile, will undertake a Working Visit to the Republic of Türkiye to co-chair the inaugural Bi-National Commission (BNC) between South Africa and Türkiye, scheduled to take place on 15 October 2025 in Ankara, Türkiye. 

The BNC will be convened in accordance with the Agreement establishing the Bi-National Commission to be chaired at the Deputy President and Vice-President level respectively between the two countries that was signed in 2012. Deputy President Mashatile will therefore co-chair the inaugural SA-Türkiye BNC with his counterpart, the Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye, His Excellency Mr Cevdet Yılmaz. 

The purpose of the BNC is to serve as a structured platform for enhancing and coordinating political, economic and social cooperation between South Africa and Türkiye. 

Through regular high-level dialogue and joint decision-making, the Bi-National Commission will provide both countries with an opportunity to conclude long pending draft agreements, review existing instruments and explore new areas of cooperation in the political, economic, social, justice and security sectors. A number of cooperation agreements are envisaged to be signed in this regard.

In addition to his participation at the BNC, Deputy President Mashatile is expected to also pay tribute to Türkiye’s founder and first President, Mr Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, at the Antakabir Mausoleum; hold a tete-a-tete with his counterpart Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz; as well as pay a courtesy call on the President of the Republic of Türkiye, His Excellency Mr Recep Erdogan.  

Subsequently, the Deputy President will travel to Istanbul for economic diplomacy engagements, including addressing the 5th biennial Türkiye-Africa Business Forum (TABEF) taking place on 16-17 October 2025. 

South Africa’s participation at the TABEF and bilateral meetings with key role players are expected to elevate trade relations with Türkiye and cement South Africa’s position as Türkiye’s largest trading partner in Sub-Saharan Africa and a key partner in Africa and the Global South.

While in Istanbul, the Deputy President will also participate in the South Africa-Türkiye Business Council and engage with Turkish investors with interest in the South African market. The Deputy President will also address the closing ceremony of the Türkiye Africa Business and Economic Forum (TABEF) on 17 October 2025.

Deputy President Mashatile will be accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Ronald Lamola; Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Angie Motshekga; Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Parks Tau; Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Bonginkosi Nzimande; Minister of Tourism, Ms Patricia De Lille; Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Ms Peace Mabe; Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube; and Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms Zoleka Capa. 

 

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President, on 066 195 8840.

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

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Media briefing remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the working visit to the European Union, Brussels, Belgium
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President Ursula von der Leyen,
Ambassadors,
Ministers,
Members of the media,
 
It is a great honour and a privilege to have been invited to participate in the Global Gateway Forum.
 
This initiative is opening up new possibilities for trade and investment and forging a new era of partnership and cooperation.
 
It has been a particular pleasure to meet with President von der Leyen to continue the productive engagements that we had in Cape Town in March this year at the South Africa–European Union Summit.
 
South Africa and the EU maintain a dynamic and expanding bilateral partnership spanning trade, energy, education, science, human rights and health.
 
We share a commitment to multilateralism, human rights, UN reform, global peace, climate action and sustainable development. 
 
The EU remains one of the most important foreign investors in South Africa.
 
Together, EU member states accountr for 41 percent of total foreign direct investment into our country. 
 
Over 2,000 EU companies operate in South Africa, creating more than half a million direct and indirect jobs.
 
The South Africa-European Union Summit in March agreed on pathways to further advance these economic ties.
 
It reaffirmed our commitment to deal with common challenges and to promote peace, development and prosperity.
 
Since then, our officials have been engaged in technical discussions on the agreed launch of a Clean Trade and Investment Partnership.
 
This innovative partnership focuses on investment, the clean energy transition, skills and technology, connectivity, and developing strategic industries along the entire supply chains. 
 
The partnership is expected to create jobs in South Africa and elsewhere on the African continent.
 
We are hopeful that it will contribute to the development of Africa as the next frontier of clean global production. 
 
We are therefore delighted by the announcement of a further investment package that will bring the total investment value to 11.5 billion Euros.
 
These investments will help to build the economy of the future in the South Africa of the present.
 
The investment package covers areas such as critical minerals, e-battery development, green hydrogen, renewable energy and vaccines. 
 
This will help to accelerate South Africa’s just transition to a low-carbon economy, while ensuring that no one is left behind.
 
The investment will also support rail, road and ports infrastructure, logistics and digital connectivity. 
 
We welcome the special focus on skills, small business development, and research and development.
 
This is vital for the development of South Africa’s people, our most valuable resource.
 
We applaud the leadership of President von der Leyen and President Costa in giving form to this vision of a global gateway.
 
We are grateful to the European Union for the strong support it has given to South Africa’s G20 Presidency, and our agenda of solidarity, equality and sustainability.
 
We are looking forward to welcoming you, President von der Leyen, to the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg next month.
 
We believe this will be an important opportunity to advance the vision of a peaceful, just and inclusive world order that we both share.
 
I thank you.

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Statement on conclusion of the working visit by Deputy President Paul Mashatile to the Republic of South Sudan
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Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Paul Mashatile, has concluded a successful two-day working visit to the Republic of South Sudan. The visit sought to take stock of the state of the implementation of the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS). 

Deputy President Mashatile held engagements with His Excellency, President of the Republic of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, Vice-President Benjamin Boi Mel and other signatory Parties to the Revitalised Agreement.  

All parties are committed to doing everything possible to avoid worsening political tensions which could lead to increased insecurity. Furthermore, the parties expressed confidence in the Revitalised Agreement as the only existing instrument to facilitate the transition to a peaceful, stable and prosperous future. Accordingly, the Parties underscored the need to work together in creating a conducive environment for the holding of credible elections scheduled to take place in December 2026. 

Deputy President Mashatile also paid a courtesy visit to the Mother of the Nation and Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan, Her Excellency Mama Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, at her Official Residence in Juba.

Mama Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior is the wife of the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior – leader the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and the first President of the Republic of South Sudan. She has further urged South Africa to remain seized with the process.

Concluding his visit, Deputy President Mashatile underscored the importance of strengthening political and economic bilateral relations between South Africa and South Sudan.

 

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President, on 066 195 8840.

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

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Deputy President Mashatile pays a courtesy call on Mama Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior of South Sudan
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His Excellency, the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Paul Mashatile, has today, 09 October 2025, paid a courtesy visit to the Mother of the Nation and Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan, Her Excellency Cdr. Mama Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, at the Official Residence in Juba, South Sudan.

Mama Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior is wife of the late founding father of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the first democratic Republic of South Sudan, Dr. John Garang de Mabior.

The Deputy President is on a two-day Working Visit to South Sudan in his capacity as Presidential Special Envoy, to consolidate  political efforts and contribute to deepening the implementation of the peace process, in line with the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (RARCRSS), with the aim of ensuring a peaceful and democratic end to the transitional period. 

Mama Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior has expressed her appreciation to the important role played by South Africa in supporting the peace process. She has further urged South Africa to remain seized with developments in the country.

 

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President, on 066 195 8840.

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

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Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa to the Global Gateway Forum, Brussels, Belgium
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Your Excellency, President Ursula von der Leyen,
Fellow Heads of State and Government from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and Europe,
Honourable Ministers,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
Thank you for inviting South Africa to this Global Gateway Forum. 
 
It is a privilege to address this forum, which brings together partners to strengthen cooperation, advance shared priorities and find solutions to the pressing global challenges of our time. 
 
This forum is taking place at a time of geopolitical uncertainty and instability, negatively impacting security and economic growth in many parts of the world.
 
These circumstances require comprehensive, coordinated and forward-looking solutions. These challenges call for a renewed commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflict, respect for international law, the strengthening of multilateralism and the progressive reform of international bodies like the United Nations and the WTO.
 
As a country, we welcome the opportunity to participate in this forum.
 
The strategic partnership between South Africa and the European Union has evolved in scope and substance over the years.
 
The South Africa-EU Summit in Cape Town in March this year reaffirmed our shared values and further deepened our cooperation. 
 
Together, we have an opportunity to strengthen resilience by advancing investments in digital and green infrastructure, fostering innovation, securing supply chains and encouraging diversification that supports sustainable and inclusive growth. 
 
We welcome the support this partnership provides to the development of transport networks, a just transition and climate resilience, pandemic preparedness and vaccine production, and digital connectivity. 
 
As we work to strengthen trade and investment ties, we must also address those issues that hold back more robust, more diverse and more impactful trade and investment between African and European countries.
 
We need to work together to overcome the tariff and non-tariff barriers that constrain the breadth and the scale of African exports to the European Union.
 
We must use investment and trade as effective instruments to foster industrialisation on the African continent.
 
The Global Gateway provides an opportunity to support the priorities that countries have identified and are pursuing themselves.
 
South Africa has embarked on a just transition that advances renewable energy while safeguarding energy security and enabling social and economic development.
 
We are using our natural resource endowments – such as solar, wind and our critical minerals – to build industries that will grow our economies.
 
As South Africa, we are undertaking far-reaching economic reforms in energy, water, logistics and telecommunications that are making our country more competitive and improving the investment environment.
 
As a country, we are undertaking a massive infrastructure investment drive to expand the capacity of our economy and meet the developmental needs of our people. 
 
As a continent, Africa is striving for universal access to energy through diversification, equitable financing and technology transfer. 
 
The support from the EU and its member states will play an important part in this journey. 
 
It is important that the substantial investments that are being made through the Global Gateway are structured in a manner that empowers African countries and does not replace one dependency with another.
 
They must enable African countries to pursue development paths that are suited to their circumstances and to the needs of their people.
 
South Africa is hosting the G20 Leaders’ Summit next month under the theme of Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability. 
 
With around 100 of the 132 official meetings having been held since we took over the presidency of the G20 from Brazil, South Africa is well on its way in preparations towards hosting a successful G20 Summit for the first time on African soil.
 
We welcome the support of the European Union for our G20 priorities to address the many challenges that developing economy countries are facing.

Many developing economy countries face unsustainable debt burdens. A key issue for the G20 must be to develop solutions to address the debt burden that holds back the growth and development of many developing economy countries, especially in Africa. 

We need further measures to ensure fair and equitable access to finance and debt sustainability so that these countries can meet the needs of their people and realise their potential. 
 
It is simply unacceptable that many developing economy countries pay much more for their debt than what more developed economy countries pay.
 
This unfair treatment perpetuates inequality not only between individuals but amongst countries as well. 
 
It is for this reason that South Africa has set up a G20 Extraordinary Committee of Independent Experts on Global Wealth Inequality, led by Professor Joseph Stiglitz, to table a report at the G20 Leaders’ Summit on the issue of inequality.
 
We must build consensus on the reform of international financial institutions, particularly multilateral development banks, to better tackle global challenges.
 
We have recognised the need to massively increase support for climate action in the Global South and for reconstruction in the aftermath of extreme weather events. Greater support needs to be given developing economy countries through climate financing.
 
We are also calling for stronger action against predatory mining practices and for fair management of critical minerals. 
 
We are focusing on strengthening the multilateral trading system, while recognising that the World Trade Organisation remains the only multilateral body capable of managing divergences and coordinating positions in global trade.
 
We remain committed to working closely with the European Union to ensure that our shared ambitions translate into tangible outcomes. 
 
Together, we can foster inclusive growth, build resilience and create a sustainable and secure future for all our people.
 
I thank you.

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President Ramaphosa arrives in Brussels to advance trade and investment at the EU Global Gateway Forum
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President Cyril Ramaphosa has this evening, 08 October 2025, arrived in Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium following a successful Official Visit to Ireland.

At the invitation of the President of the European Commission, H.E. Ursula von der Leyen, President Ramaphosa will lead South Africa’s participation in the Global Gateway Forum (GGF) taking place from 09 - 10 October 2025.

On Thursday, 09 October 2025, President Ramaphosa will address the Opening Plenary Session on the theme “Advancing Global Connectivity in the Face of Geopolitical and Geoeconomic Challenges.” Later, on the margins of the Forum, the President will hold bilateral meetings with Heads of State and Government attending the GGF and engage with leading CEOs of industry.

South Africa’s participation in the Global Gateway Forum aims to attract trade and investment, strengthen relations, and leverage mutual opportunities in the lead-up to the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

The European Union’s external investment strategy, known as Global Gateway, seeks to boost smart, clean, and secure links in the digital, energy, and transport sectors, while strengthening health, education, and research systems across the world.

President von der Leyen will lead the GGF, which brings together Heads of State and Government, along with senior representatives from governments, financial institutions, the private sector, and civil society. The Forum will explore innovative strategies for scaling up European investments in partner countries.

Building on the success of the inaugural Forum in 2023, this year’s event will focus on advancing global connectivity amid geopolitical and geo-economic challenges. Heads of State and Government from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe, as well as the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, will attend. A high-level South African business delegation will also participate in the Forum.

The visit to Brussels follows recent engagements between President Ramaphosa and President von der Leyen, including their meeting on the margins of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) in New York, and the successful 8th South Africa–EU Summit held in March 2025. On the margins of the GGF, the two Leaders will hold a bilateral meeting and subsequently address a joint media briefing on the EU–South Africa Investment Announcement.

This engagement takes place within the framework of the Strategic Partnership between South Africa and the European Union. The EU remains South Africa’s largest trade and investment partner and a key development cooperation partner. South Africa’s exports to the EU increased by 82%, from approximately R203.2 billion in 2016 to R370.7 billion in 2024, while imports from the EU rose by 38%, from R308.8 billion in 2016 to R427 billion in 2024 over the same period.

President Ramaphosa is accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr. Ronald Lamola; the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Bonginkosi Nzimande; the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mr. Solly Malatsi; and senior Government officials.

 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

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President Ramaphosa appoints Minister Motshekga as Acting President
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President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Angie Motshekga, to serve as Acting President of the Republic of South Africa during the concurrent absence from the country of both the President and the Deputy President.

The appointment is made in accordance with Section 90(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, which provides for the delegation of Presidential authority when both the President and the Deputy President are unable to fulfil the duties of the office.

President Ramaphosa is undertaking an official visit to Ireland today, Wednesday, 08 October 2025, and will thereafter attend the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium, on Thursday, 09 October 2025.

During this period, Minister Motshekga will accordingly serve as Acting President of the Republic of South Africa.

 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

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 Union Building