“We Won‘t Be Bullied (By Trump)” – Ramaphosa‘s National Address (Video)
President Cyril Ramaphosa used his state of the nation address on Thursday night to send a strong message to his country’s detractors, warning that the South Africa he leads will not cower to bullies.
South Africa, he said, was very capable of navigating the ever-changing and treacherous waters of the world and its geopolitics.
He said the country was witnessing the rise of nationalism, protectionism and the pursuit of narrow interests by global leaders.
“This is the world that we, a developing economy, must now navigate. But we are not daunted to navigate our path through this world that constantly changes,” said Ramaphosa.
“We will not be deterred. We are a resilient people and we will not be bullied.”
This stern message by Ramaphosa, which received loud applause and cheers in the National Assembly, comes after South Africa was in the past two weeks under an international microscope after leaders of the US and Rwanda censured the country.
It started with Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, who along with government officials criticised the presence of South African troops in the eastern DRC, claiming it was not for peacekeeping but to protect financial interests of many, including Ramaphosa himself.
Rwanda’s Kagame also accused Ramaphosa of lying on the outcomes of their telephone conversation, where Ramaphosa is said to have warned that the continued firing towards the South African troops by M23 and the Rwandan Defence Force would be viewed as a declaration of war.
US President Donald Trump also zoomed into the affairs of South Africa this week, voicing what he says are concerns over the Expropriation Act that Ramaphosa signed into law.
He claimed that the country under Ramaphosa was doing “very wrong things” and that there was confiscation of private properties.
But Ramaphosa said South Africa had survived apartheid, which sought to dehumanise its people, suggesting the county would also defend and survive this.
“We will stand together and speak with one voice in defence of our national interests, our sovereignty and our constitutional democracy by standing true to our values, by harnessing our unique strengths and endowments, and by forging a common purpose we can turn these trying circumstances to our advantage and propel our country forward.”
He said South Africa stood for peace and justice, equality and solidarity. “We stand for a non-racial future and we stand for democracy and tolerance as well as compassion. We stand for equal rights for women and people living with disability and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We stand for our shared humanity, not for the survival of the fittest,” he said.
His comments come after he had a telephonic conversation with Trump’s right hand-man Elon Musk to try to explain that their view on what was happening in South Africa was completely wrong.
