President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the two-week ceasefire in the Middle East, calling for it to be permanent.
Ramaphosa said a negotiated settlement rather than military victory was the only sustainable path to peace.
“The good thing is that all wars do finally end. It’s not necessarily the defeat of the one player or the other. It should lead to a negotiated settlement, and we are hopeful there will be a negotiated settlement that will bring this nightmare to an end. Ee want it sooner than later,” he said.
He emphasised South Africa is firmly in favour of an immediate cessation of hostilities.
“It’s what the whole world needs so this horrible war can come to an end with immediate effect. It should not even be a temporary ceasefire. It should be a permanent ceasefire, and thereafter people should be able to sit around a table and find lasting solutions.”
Ramaphosa said the conflict had placed strain on economies worldwide, including South Africa, largely due to rising oil prices linked to instability around the Strait of Hormuz
Ramaphosa’s remarks come amid a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran.
US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire hinges on Iran reopening the critical Strait of Hormuz, which is a key global oil route. The ceasefire was mediated by Pakistan’s leadership.
Trump said Iran had submitted a proposal that Washington views as a workable basis for negotiations.
“The next two weeks will allow a final agreement to be drawn up,” said Trump.
Iran’s foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, thanking Pakistan for its mediation efforts, signalled conditional support for the ceasefire. “If attacks against Iran are halted, our armed forces will cease their defensive operations,” he said.
Ramaphosa said the conflict had placed strain on economies worldwide, including South Africa, largely due to rising oil prices linked to instability around the Strait of Hormuz.
To cushion consumers, the government has introduced emergency measures including a temporary reduction in the general fuel levy from R4.10 per litre to R1.10 per litre.
TimesLIVE
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