“We must stop running to other countries. Our problems should be discussed and resolved here. That confirms our sovereignty and our standing as a free and independent nation. We may have differences, but we will find solutions.”
Asked whether action should be taken against the groups, Ramaphosa acknowledged growing calls for accountability.
“There are people who say something must be done about them,” he said. “What they’re doing is creating division, not building the nation. Running around the world to have your grievances solved only sows discord. It causes South Africans to view each other negatively, which is not the right way to handle our challenges.”
Ramaphosa also expressed relief that South African soldiers wounded in the January seizure of Goma by M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had returned home safely.
“I’m very pleased our injured soldiers are back where they can receive the best medical care,” he said. “We were concerned about their extended stay, though grateful to the countries that treated them. But it’s always best to be home, near family, cared for by our own medical teams.
“We’re also making progress with the peace process.”
TimesLIVE
Ramaphosa slams AfriForum and Solidarity's Washington visit remarks
Image: Afriforum
President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned AfriForum and the Solidarity movement for taking their grievances to Washington, accusing them of undermining South Africa’s sovereignty.
The lobby groups sent a delegation to the US this week stating in a memorandum that, among other issues, they feared land grabs and said Afrikaners were being subjected to calls for violence against them that are made publicly “without any repercussions for those spreading hate”.
“I understand AfriForum and Solidarity met with US government representatives, doing exactly what we as South Africans have agreed we should not do,” Ramaphosa said on the sidelines of the three-day 2025 Basic Education Sector Lekgotla taking place in Gauteng.
“We must stop running to other countries. Our problems should be discussed and resolved here. That confirms our sovereignty and our standing as a free and independent nation. We may have differences, but we will find solutions.”
Asked whether action should be taken against the groups, Ramaphosa acknowledged growing calls for accountability.
“There are people who say something must be done about them,” he said. “What they’re doing is creating division, not building the nation. Running around the world to have your grievances solved only sows discord. It causes South Africans to view each other negatively, which is not the right way to handle our challenges.”
Ramaphosa also expressed relief that South African soldiers wounded in the January seizure of Goma by M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had returned home safely.
“I’m very pleased our injured soldiers are back where they can receive the best medical care,” he said. “We were concerned about their extended stay, though grateful to the countries that treated them. But it’s always best to be home, near family, cared for by our own medical teams.
“We’re also making progress with the peace process.”
TimesLIVE
MORE:
LISTEN | 'AfriForum sowing divisions': Ramaphosa responds to AfriForum, Solidarity's visit to Washington DC
Naledi Pandor urges swift diplomacy amid SA/Trump debacle
AfriForum and Solidarity call for ‘sustained pressure’ on ‘arrogant’ SA government during US trip
Paying the ultimate price: fallen soldier's 'final tour'
Negotiating with M23 rebels 'only way South Africa can save face'
No commercial Afrikaner farmers will leave, says Free State farmer
'If leaving is the price we must pay for the safety of our children, it is what we must do'
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos