South African president warns against ‘bullies’

President Ramaphosa says the values of human solidarity and social justice are under attack worldwide

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has criticized both domestic and international “bullies” who, he said, are attempting to divide South Africans and undo the gains of democracy. He made the remarks during the African National Congress’s (ANC) 114th anniversary celebration on Saturday.

The president began his speech by commemorating the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s Constitution, which remains one of the most progressive in the world.

However, he said this celebration takes place amid “increasingly strident attacks” on constitutional values, the rule of law and the rule-based international order.

”Across the world, the values of democracy, equality, equity, inclusion, human solidarity, gender equality and social justice are under attack,” Ramaphosa said.

He stated that while the majority of South Africans, and indeed of global humanity, embrace these values of freedom, equality, non-racialism, non-sexism and human solidarity, there is an increasingly vocal minority in our country that has found a common cause with this global attack, and actively propagates falsehoods.

Although he stopped short of naming any organisations, he was clearly referring to South African movements such as AfriForum and Solidarity, which are accused of having engaged with US President Donald Trump’s conservative political networks as well as the media in the US.

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Ramaphosa even accused these “forces” of trying to establish regime change in South Africa.

”Their aim is to undermine South Africa’s constitutional democracy, non-racialism, non-sexism and the transformation project. They employ multifaceted tactics, including the propagation of blatant falsehoods such as claims of ‘white genocide’, to attract sympathy and solidarity from global racist movements and individuals,” the president said.

”On the one hand, they form and fund political parties designed to fragment the motive forces of change. On the other hand, they sow the seeds of regime change, establish parallel state structures and foment secessionist tendencies.”

Ramaphosa said there is a growing and increasingly open effort by domestic anti-transformation forces and their international allies to roll back the gains of democracy. In response, he argued that the moment requires building the broadest possible united front to defend and deepen the national democratic revolution, strengthen constitutional democracy, and protect South Africa’s sovereignty on the global stage.

“We as a people refused to be divided, we refuse to be bullied by anyone, whether here or around the world.

”We are united in our will and our resolve.”

Ramaphosa also used his address to recognise the ANC’s own weaknesses and failures in service delivery, while admitting that slow economic growth and high levels of unemployment had demoralised and alienated many South Africans. He acknowledged that the political party needed to correct its weaknesses in order to reclaim its role as “leader” of society.

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To that end, Ramaphosa said the government had identified six tasks that would be prioritised in 2026. These include:

• Fixing local government and improving basic services.
• Speeding up economic transformation, inclusive growth and job creation.
• Waging war on crime and corruption, with GBVF clearly identified as a National Disaster.
• Building a South Africa that belongs to all through the National Dialogue and the 30th anniversary of the Constitution.
• Making organisational renewal visible and irreversible.
• Building a better Africa and a better world

Basic services and infrastructure would also be prioritised. To that end, over the next three years, the government has pledged to invest R54 billion to repair water and electricity infrastructure in areas such as Buffalo City, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay.

The ANC’s 114th anniversary celebrations come as the party tackles its most serious challenge since taking power in 1994, having lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in the 2024 general elections and now being forced to govern through coalition arrangements at both national and provincial levels.

The party also faces pressure from a resurgent opposition, rising civic activism, and widespread frustration over socio-economic issues such as poverty, unemployment, and energy insecurity.

First published by IOL