ROAD TO 2024 ELECTIONS
Ramaphosa warns of ‘fightback’ and ‘regime change agenda’ after ICJ ruling
In his closing address at the ANC lekgotla in Boksburg on Tuesday, party president Cyril Ramaphosa reflected on South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and warned of ‘systematic fightback campaigns’.
The ANC has warned that a fightback campaign against South Africa is likely to take place after the country hauled Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which granted provisional measures to prevent Israel from committing genocide against the Palestinian people.
Ramaphosa was addressing the National Executive Committee (NEC) lekgotla on Tuesday afternoon at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, when he highlighted the risks of the country’s stance on the war in the Middle East.
“As we reflect on this matter we must be mindful that our success has exposed not only atrocities that have been carried out by the state of Israel, but it has also exposed the moral bankruptcy of those countries who, by their acts of omission and commission, are allowing genocide to take place in Gaza on their watch. We say this humbly, without pointing fingers.
“We are aware there will be systematic fightback campaigns, and I say this so that we are aware of it. There will be no doubt that these forces will do anything in their power to prevent SA from concluding their case on the merits of the matter,” he said.
Read more in Daily Maverick: Diplomatic fallout of ICJ ruling on Israel could put SA’s Agoa renewal at risk
As the country gears up for what has been dubbed the most important election since 1994, Ramaphosa claimed these forces may want to have a hand in the upcoming polls.
“The fightback may focus on our domestic politics and our electoral outcomes in order to pursue a regime change agenda. Some people have said this was a David and Goliath contest,” he said.
“We must be aware that while we have done what we believe was driven by our conscience and principles, and while we took the matter to the courts which were set up by those who were there, we are blamed for taking the matter to the courts that they have set up and we should be blamed for that.
“We need to be absolutely vigilant and resolute and so we must end by saying the path ahead is not an easy one, but we should never doubt the capacity of the ANC-led government,” he said.
Read more in Daily Maverick: ICJ decision brought ANC-led government to the right side of history — and will help at the 2024 elections
Former president Thabo Mbeki at the African National Congress National Executive Committee Lekgotla Programme in Boksburg on 30 January 2024. (Photo: Gallo Images / OJ Koloti)
Ramaphosa said the ANC would contribute to negotiations in the conflict between the two nations, adding to speculation that former president Thabo Mbeki could be part of the team representing the governing party.
“Following our case, we are now being asked if we are willing to participate in whatever form of discussion that could end this conflict, and we said yes.”
Last Friday, a majority of judges presiding over the ICJ case granted most of the measures requested by South Africa to prevent a rising genocide in Gaza and the rest of Palestine. But it stopped short of the most important — ordering a ceasefire in a one-sided war that’s been dragging on for three months.
The court said that while accurate figures are not available, it accepted that the conflict had caused the deaths of 25,700 people, most of whom are Palestinian women and children.
More than 63,000 people had been injured, while over 300,000 homes (the majority of Palestinian housing stock) had been destroyed.
Read more in Daily Maverick: ICJ ruling in SA’s genocide case against Israel lauded as ‘historic’ and victory for human rights
Ramaphosa also used the opportunity to praise those who were involved in ensuring South Africa’s victory at the ICJ.
“The lekgotla came to a unanimous view that South Africa’s unwavering support and solidarity with the people of Palestine is consistent with [the] ANC-led alliance’s traditions and policy positions.
“We take this opportunity to thank all South Africans who have come out in their tens of thousands, in fact in their hundreds of thousands, to support the just cause of the Palestinian people.
“We also pay tribute and commend the legal team and those who worked very hard behind the scenes to make sure that our government’s case is well represented, and we have thanked our two ministers who have played a key role.
“I have called all of the lawyers personally and thanked them for the work they have done,” said Ramaphosa.
The South African legal team includes senior counsel Adila Hassam and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi as well as international lawyer Max du Plessis and Professor John Dugard, an expert in international law. The team also consists of lawyers Tshidiso Ramogale, Sarah Pudifin-Jones and Lerato Zikalala. Irish lawyers Áine Ní Ghrálaigh and British barrister Vaughan Lowe are providing external counsel. DM
Oh no you don’t Mr Ramaphosa. You, well the legal people, have fone a good thing by Palestine, but don’t start trying to complain about third forces trying to get rid of the ANC. The people of South Africa will get rid of the ANC kaktocracy, hopefully in a few month’s time. I hope whoever is in charge will continue to support the Palestinians, but the ANC’S time is up.
You must be one of those evil forces
Oh dear, ‘nother troll
While the ‘success’ of the SA application to the ICJ was an important international achievement whcih we could all be proud of, is there any other evidence of local ‘success’ that CR can point to .. keeping in mind that the ongoing state corruption and inept or incompetent cadre deployment do not count as ‘success’ ? I wonder what the former adamant beetroot and garlic president, can contribute as member of the governing party ‘team’ speculation ? While ‘threats’ are definitely present, the abysmal incompetency of most cadres are the real threat, rather than the imaginary fantasy of the self proclaimed “capacity” of the ANC led government . Time to get real Mr President !
You forgot the lemon juice.
And the African potato.
And the African potato.
I don’t think it was a success at all. All the dancing and celebrating was just a charade.
All of a sudden Pandor realizes this and is now bleating that Israel is still killing… I’m speechless… where did the ICJ order Israel to stop the war and the obvious outcome of war which is killing duh? Where do we find these people. The repercussions of the actions of the ANC are still to come and it won’t be pretty.
It’s not a fightback or anything counter-revolutionary, you disconnected imbecile. It’s called karma.
Evil force?
How dare you talk about moral bankrupcy as an ANC member. A disgrace when you have thousands of murders, rapes, theft on you lack of governance ability. Its not just about you. Its about a system from rainbow nation to hate created by yout party. Drink your champagne, let the tender larty member drive the bentleys, but let me tell you what I have learned as an Afrikaner. When masses gets gatvol nothing will stop the tower to tumble.
Agree!
Well said. Hopefully the tower will tumble.
Murders, rapes are all crimes and they happen in every country, even in your apartheid israel by israelies on other israelies, grow up
We Vic are the murder capital of the world – you should get real and catch up – a disgrace to democracy where you are not even safe in your own homes , in the streets and shopping mall carparks
Not sure under which rock you live Vic, but the crime in SS SA is way above the norms for any semi- civilised country
We all tired of your whataboutism comments that trawl every article. If you have nothing insightful to add, which you clearly don’t, kindly shuffle along..
The anc has messed the country up in 30 years ….so no third force as a result of the ICJ happenings would be to blame for a regime change …..the people of SA will do that during the election !!! We are TIRED of all the excuses of incompetent and corrupt politicians!!
This country has been messed up long before the ANC took over, remember apartheid?
@VicMash: Apartheid caused plenty of problems, but don’t conflate the destruction at the hands of the ANC and apartheid. They ANC have plundered and destroyed all on their own. Had the ANC not opted for deliberately inferior education (to keep people stupid and loyal) we would have had 30 years of properly educated people driving the economy. Instead we have an ocean of unemployable people looking for opportunity in an economy where the infrastructure has been allowed to fall into ruin and the public sector is all but non-existent other than as a vehicle to plunder salaries and tenders. The ANC has hollowed out SA and squandered any opportunities they had to grow SA. Look at Japan and Germany after the world wars, from ruin to power houses. SA went from powerhouse to ruin. That is the ANC’s legacy.
I get your point Mr P, but remember, what the ANC destroyed, was never benefited us before anyways….we had inferior education during apartheid as well, loadshedding-we never had electricity anyway during apartheid. Life has not changed for ordinary black South Africans hence i am saying, life has been terrible even prior to 1994
So because life has been terrible prior 1994 for the majority, it’s ok for life to remain terrible for the majority? It’s not ok. Still only a few enjoy a better life, so why is that?
“life has been terrible even prior to 1994”
So you are acknowledging that the ANC has done sweet fanny adams to improve the lives of black South Africans in 30 years. So then, why carry on voting for the ANC?
OK so you are a troll surrogate for the ANC, we accept, but try to at least stay on the right side of sanity! The AN}C has single handed destroyed the SS SA infrastructure over the last 30 years. It gas screwed up the electricity, sewer systems, water supply reticulation and killed Denel, SAA, mineral exploration, and a thousand other things too. There were many things wrong with apartheid – no denying that – but one thing those guys could do was run a country administratively.
Agree!! but the ANC led government inherited a country where systems were working cohesively , with an incredible infrastructure. 30 yrs of ANC, and we stare Failure at every turn.
As fraudulent and slimy as always, now linking the elections (for which the SA ICJ court case was a big attempted vote-catcher) and any opposition to the ANC as “attempted regime change” by foreign ‘operatives’ using local opposition politics for their regime change agenda. Yes, it tired, yes we’ve heard it from other failed or undemocratic countries before, but here we go in our own backyard with the falsehood, this strawman argument, this desperation.
Ramaphosa’s utterances, his straw man arguments as you rightly point out, remind me of the toppled NP apartheid leaders’ words. Strange sort of deja vu. Is there a manual out there where they learn these words and narratives, and use them to their advantage? Gets a bit old though. They should come up with something more interesting. Update that manual?
This was just an electoral posing play. ” look at us, we are global players”. Any other year nothing would have happened.
Global players of no importance whatsoever. The world sees you Cyril and your crew of mavericks for exactly what you are.
Yup, empty suits (figuratively of course), because we know full well how strained most of the buttons on a cadre’s suit really are animal farm style pigging out on the tax dime.
the NEC is feeling the heat. What odds they find a reason to delay the 2024 vote?
We’ve banned people from walking on beaches or buying T-shirts so rationality is not a yardstick when it comes to a minister applying his or her mind.
Sounds very much like apartheid style political arguments!
This bunch are verging on as awful as the Nats, main difference is that they are hopelessly incompetent too. Incompetent Nats is what the ANC are.
People in glass houses is an apt summary for this dichotomy dubbed as a stand on “principles”. Despicable
He crrtainly thinks the anc are relevant in the world. No one cares about their utterings especially when one sees how they treat their own, unemployment, high crime , failing infrastructure, ports, railways,water,electricity anc is a threat to no one.
“We should never doubt the capacity of the ANC-led government …” to steal, lie, demonstrate total moral bankruptcy, employ and elevate individuals shown to be corrupt, to let 34% of the work force languish in unemployment and poverty, to allow priceless infrastructure to be stolen or rotted from lack of maintenance, to turn the lights off, to bring in a growth rate of 0.6%, to allow murder and mayhem to flourish, to generally trash South Africa and reduce our lovely country from Mandela’s dream to a near failed state … Cyril, you are utterly sickening, utterly morally bereft, utterly blind to your party’s failure to lead, utterly blind to the stinking swamp that you and your dreadful bunch of incompetents have pushed us into.
Hear, hear!!!
BRILLIANT – and you forgot we are a point above a failed state and are the murder capital of the world – what a brilliant capacity to lead he has – Mr Nowhere man !!!
Well said Peter.
Perhaps it’s time for the ANC to, of all their other former global struggle allies, go and take some advice from SWAPO. Perhaps it’s time to make some comparisons. Namibia more than any other country in the world is a valid comparison. After all was Namibia not the the old Republic’s “fifth province”? Was Windhoek not technically ruled from Pretoria as much a Cape Town or Durban in the Union days? Is Namibia not just about as old as the new Republic? Does Namibia not have a lot the same ethnic demographics as the New Republic? Is Namibia not also still ruled, after a generation and a half, by their liberation turned political party? So tell me, how many potholes are there in Namibia? How many hours of loadshedding in a day? How high is their unemployment? The list of questions goes on and on. Sure no country is with is problems. Sure their population is a fraction of this new republic but then so is their resources etc. in comparison. Sure their government also spoke up in regards to what is happening in the Middle East. However that was to admonish Germany and rightfully so given their history. This list also goes on but all the while their lights are on. No enough now, it’s time to be honest and admit all this and more from the new Republic’s government is nothing more than just excuses. Enough now, it’s time for the citizens of this new Republic to be honest and make a choice because there is another neighbor that can also be used to make comparisons with.
Ah yes. The old manufacture the victim strategy. Now let’s consider your absence of outrage considering your pal Putin’s little genocidal adventure in Ukraine.
ANC hypocrisy is is overwhelming. In spite of all the proofs, of systematic torture and murder of white farmers this Marxist regime continues to kill the people who provide food for the nation. The ANC has destroyed SA’s economy and made it a pariah state overturning all the good of Nelson Mandela’s reforms. Our only hope now is that our collective prayers and votes will remove this Godforsaken government in the months to come.
I had originally planned not to vote for the ANC because of the corruption, nepotism and poor service delivery. However, I have changed my mind due to the bold and courageous decision by the SA government to take Israel to the ICJ for committing genocide in Gaza. Human rights and the freedom of Palestine is something that I hold dear to my heart. It is more important than the corruption and ineptitude of the present government and I will therefore have no hesitation to cast my X next to the ANC.
Viva South Africa, Viva
Then you are part of the problem, not the solution.
You can support Palestine without voting for the ANC. While corruption and failure of the ANC in all spheres of government may be less important for you, for the 60 million people in this country, the people that are dying every day due to ANC ineptitude (just think of the crime that is flourishing under our severely degraded criminal justice system last numbers of murders nearing 50000 people a year), it may be just as important. Let’s not even start on what other dangerous and violent regimes the ANC supports.
While I don’t expect you to vote DA, I urge you to think about voting for the ANC due to this one topic alone, and understand in what position they have brought this country.
You cannot be serious! (I assume this comment is meant to tongue in cheek?) Are you falling for this obvious bait and switch ploy of the ANC? You WANT another 5 years of “corruption, nepotism and poor service delivery”? This will be a 100% certainty if the ANC is voted back in, whereas any real improvement in the lot of the Palestinians due to the actions of SA is highly unlikely – a 10% chance at best. Will you trade the certain continued and increasing suffering of millions of South Africans for a tiny chance of helping the Palestinians? Eg don’t you care about the 1000s of children starving in the Eastern Cape, those drowning in pit latrines, those living without hope in violent ganglands and on the streets, etc, etc?
Typical mind-controlled reply and he will not be the only one. This is exactly what the broader world agenda is all about. Luckily some countries are fighting back, if we had any brains, or b*lls we would too.
Please read up on Poe’s Law and/or indicate satire and sarcasm with an ‘/S’.
That was the objective- to gain the Islamic vote, and it worked beautifully
So you would rather have a corrpt government in power that is systematically breaking down the economy and the people of this country?? Shame on you. Sure, what is going on in Gaza is terrible and it may be classed as genocide but do you really think that SA’s case at the ICJ will change anything? I can tell you that Israel will carry on with its attacks against Hamas irrespective of the utterences of the ICJ. I think the case cost us taxpayers R1.4 billion and for what? Political posturing and trying to cosy up to the Muslim community in SA while the ANC endangers all of our exports and trade agreements and by extension endangers job security for a large number of employed people. Think again. The ANC would have been better employed trying to bring both parties to the table to cut a deal and stop the bloodshed rather than running off to the ICJ.
Yes, he got your vote and will lead you like sheep into another 4 years of corruption, broken promises, posturing to be of importance in a world that sees SA as the basket case it has become. Yes vote for him – play right into his hands.
All the people in this country of ours have freedom thanks to the efforts of courageous people who stood up against Apartheid. Freedom is the first step, yes. Then you must build and allow people to prosper in a well administered, corrupt free and safe country. This is where the ANC has failed. If that is their track record, which clearly it is, how do you think the people of Palestine you care so deeply about will do? Who will help them to rebuild their lives? The ANC? You? You’re delusional, your faith has blinded you.
Is this sarcasm?
…and there you have it. Abusing the terminology for a fiction and in the process securing a vote from populist drones who vote for grand and ultimately futile gestures rather than the reality of hideously bad government
I am sure Cyril is of you Fayzal!!! Strange the bedfellows the ANC and other criminal attract.
…are you seriously going to vote for the continued destruction …… (in many ways as bad as what the Israelis have done to Gaza….they have left the place in ruins as has the ANC) of South Africa, by the, in many ways criminal ANC, just because South Africa (it was our country and not the ANC, BTW) took Israel to the ICJ? Think about it….
You walking the plank into shark infested waters because of a deluded belief that the ANC did this for Palestinians. They did it for themselves alone. Money changed hands it was a hollow victory and you because of your belief system are allowing them to control your thinking out of bitterness.
Your vote has been successfully purchased.
In all honesty you have that right and that is ultimately how democracy works. It’s said the major concern for the US electorate is usually domestic concerns as opposed to international. With the irony there being how major a player the US is internationally. Still that is their right. My old history teacher used to say “people who didn’t study history or at least know something about it, should not be allowed to vote because they don’t know what they are doing.” Still it is the voting citizenry’s right to vote according to their own views, beliefs and needs and wants. Voting according to one’s own moral and ethical beliefs as opposed to just one’s needs and wants is admirable. However in reading your comment I’m reminded of the American revolution and the French revolution. It certainly was “noble” of the French crown and people to come to the rebels’s aid, at least from their perspective. The world would have been different had King Louis not, Washington was losing. But in the end is cost the king not just his own throne but his head. It cost the noble French years of instability and violence etc. The matter of fact was, they just simply couldn’t financially afford it. The lie however was and is it was not about morals and ethics. Not for the King then nor for the Political elite today. For the common man/peasants/electorate yes. But not in truth, for the King it was political, bring the English down a notch. For our time, there is a historical score that needs settling.
if you cannot see the wisdom in one drop of water, you wont see it in the entire ocean!
Ironically, the ANC have used exactly the same strategy as Hamas. If Hamas had not lit the selfish spark of its terror on 7 October last year, 26000 innocent people would still be alive and almost 70000 people would not be suffering with their injuries, probably for life. If the ANC fools had quietly and diplomatically expressed their concerns without taking the radical and selfish stance they did, none of the international consequences we will now have to live with would have taken place. But in an election year they just couldn’t resist the temptation to put their collective stinky feet in their mouths.
But the money from Iran …..
Hope that the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre got paid up front. Will miss them if they go bankrupt because the ANC thugs didn’t pay.
They ‘ll pay – they have very deep Iranian pockets now.
Ah yes but now from being in liquidation their coffers are miraculously full. Hallelujah. !
Its amazing how the funds come tumbling in when you follow your high moral principles.
The cANCer treats the South African electorate as useful idiots. We pray that the people of this beautiful land including the ICJ case supporting citizens will put the good of South Africa first and this time prove them wrong
Ramaphosa we have absolutely no doubt in the capacity of the ANC to further wreck South Africa with mindless actions, that take zero consideration of our vulnerable position in relation to significant trading partners. The ANC behaves as if South Africa has leverage – we don’t.
line missing.
we should never doubt the capacity of the ANC led government TO steal ,loot and bring SA to its knees.
The level of hypocrisy of our president knows no bounds. “Driven by our conscience and beliefs” (and perhaps a large cash donation?). They have neither conscience nor beliefs, other than staying in power by whatever means possible. The biggest distraction from the dire state of our own country. Con artists of note!
Preparing the ground for a delay in the election or the deployment of security forces or something along those lines. This pop up prop of a president is every bit as bad as the one that came before him and quite possibly worse because he is more palatable to the useful idiots amongst us.
Pretty much the kind of speech you would expect from a party that is using the horrible conflict in the middle east for political reasons and not out of the goodness of their hearts.
Super funny, not.
You really are insulting the intelligence of your voter base Mr Ramaphosa. You have to know that only the truly stupid would believe such diversionary garbage.
Except that he is not insulting them, since his voter base is the most extraordinary collection of Dunning-Kruger Syndrome sufferers on this earth! And that is a major problem which mitigates against any change in the political landscape!
The ANC and their cadre deployment gravy train is infected with the Dunning-Kruger Effect.
Or most probably they do know but just don’t care. Weep the Beloved Country.
Declaring an external “enemy” so that the local population can unite against it (and thereby coalesce its support around the incumbent) certainly is a tried and tested electoral strategy.
The question is, will the majority play along with this narrative? Or is the credibility deficit too great?
for the ANC and its leaders to speak of morals is a disgrace to the word morals. SA’s own backyard stinks of poverty, corruption, liars, thieves, self serving “our time to eat” idiots and the president speaks of moral standing. Point one finger and look at the three pointing back at yourself. now we have a VP steeped in alleged corruption (which does not surprise one considering when he was in Gauteng as MEC for housing he was involved in some shady dealing around Cosmo City – allegedly of course! we won’t talk about all the others mentioned in the State capture report, wo will still be elected to high positions so they can continue to steal from the people of this beautiful country. assuming the do win the election or buddy up with those revolting little pea brained EFFers!
Hey Squirrel!! Who paid off the ANC’s 150 Million rand liquidation proceedings. Who paid for the court case that cost R2 billion to make us the laughing stock of the entire planet, well excepting dictators and radical islamic terrorist states? Who will be funding the ANC in the upcoming election?
Now you suddenly worry about Agoa and a pushback from our invaluable western trading partners??? Jirre boet are you just that frikken dof?
Love this comment. Go Ivan go!!
Agreed
Besides your own and your party’s utter incompetence and lack of judgment and real politik what did you expect… did you really expect those that provide aid and protect human rights and promote democracy would support you and your support for pariahs. You cannot continue walking with your begging bowl to those who feed you and bite them. They bite back as well and much harder than you must realize
So now there is a conspiracy because SA lost the ICJ case….. I think all that happened is that SA angered all the countries that matter and now there will be consequences
Cyril is down to peddling feeble Jewish cabal aluminati conspiracies. Like anyone in the world actually still cares about SA. But sadly the illiterate masses may yet fall for it.
Whilst we must applaud the success of South Africa’s case at the ICJ, in many ways it shows up the absolutely two-faced nature of the ANC. How does one reconcile this effort with the ANC resolutely supporting Russia in its genocide against Ukraine? How does one reconcile this successful effort with the ANC totally failing to follow-up the recommendations of the Zondo commission? How does one reconcile this success with the complete failure of the ANC to counter murders in South Africa and condoning “Kill the farmer, kill the boer” as anything other than genocidal hate speech?
Don’t forget Prof John Dugard, who was also an important part of the SA Legal Team!
Also, although the war is extremely lop-sided, it is not one-sided; we all know the war resulted from the extreme Zionism of Netenyahu, and the disgraceful abuse of Palestinian human rights, but the actions of Hamas were despicable and should be condemned, especially by Islamic leaders. When the ANC decided to engage in armed struggle, there were very careful efforts to avoid civilian casualties. Hamas joyfully and indiscriminately killed children and old people. After Camp David, Arafat was almost ready to sign an agreement which recognised the 1967 boundaries, but then he backed off; he could not do it. Israel exists – the Arab world has to accept that. Palestine exists – Israel has to accept that! Like Ireland, these cousins will have to learn to live together – there is no other choice! We all have to help this to come about.
Your memory is very short or you are just willfully ignorant of history. You obviously don’t recall the bombing of shopping centres (Amanzimtoti), Magoos Bar bombing (Durban), the St James Church massacre (Kenilworth)…
Would you like me to continue?
In the aftermath of October 7th the ANC sympathised with Hamas in their blood crazed torture, rape, kidnap and murder. And as Israel fought for it’s survival the ANC then eventually took it upon themselves in the name of all South Africans to lead the fight against that nation, calling it their proudest moment. Sitting as accusers draped in our nations colours like attendees at some sports event.
As history inexorably rolls forward, we can look back on the ages of persecution of the Jews, including the holocaust, and on the vote at the UN which established the nation of Israel in their ancestral land “in a single day”. It should be cause for reflection why this historic progression is no surprise. And why the ongoing and increasing animosity towards the state of Israel will be no surprise to many.
In the end there is an inevitability of outcomes that is driven by a scroll which is immutable. May Ramaphosa and his party learn about the price to pay at the upcoming election. With the ANC in power South Africans will sadly find ourselves on the wrong side of an inevitable and final chapter in the march of history. To this there is only one devastating outcome.
Hey Mr. Ramaphosa, so you’re a hero for taking Israel to court. Tell us, is it true that the ANC was bankrupt and had no cash to even pay staff salaries? And tell us, is it true that Iran bribed the ANC with so much money to embark on the ICJ action, that the party was suddenly cash rich enough to start having election rallies? Just asking.
Pity the same level of expertise was not brought in to fix the crumbling house when it was needed. Very fishy from a government that listens to no-one with expertise, that can think of something so important and execute is successfully. Who paid for this? Could not have been our venerable government when law enforcement officers can’t be deployed to do their jobs without the begging bowl being out to the private sector to pay salaries. But that’s another story.
Can’t help feeling that Mr Ramaphosa has been pawned (again). And willingly.
Note that there is no aspersion cast on the merits or demerits of the case. Just huge question marks about how.
Ramaphosa – you are nothing but a spineless, hypocritical and treacherous sleaze ball, who along with your treasonous and disgusting party, has all but destroyed this country and sold it to the most vile mass-murderers on earth. Stop trying to deflect your miserable, self-imposed and grossly stupid failures on a so- called fight back by foreign forces – it is the citizens of this country who will get rid of the scum that has blighted our country ie you and your Godless party and followers.
And now the ANC strategy becomes clear. With the sure knowledge that they’re about to lose power they create situations (supporting Russia, the ICJ case etc.) designed to fit their coming narrative that the elections are being influenced by “Western Imperial” forces becuase of these actions. This would give them a reason to refuse to vacate government, ala Bob Mugabe, and force a situation whereby they negotiate a power-share deal that sees them still retain power, even though the majority of Saffas don’t want them.
“good grief “….the kite is irretrievably tangled in the tree.
Has it finally dawned on the ANC that they have been skillfully manipulated by masters in the art deflective propaganda. They will now be left to deal with the radioactive fallout of their ill considered attempts to meddle in global affairs. All that they have achieved is directing the spotlight onto their manifest failures at home and elsewhere on the global stage (Russia, Sudan, China, etc). Nobody likes hypocrites
By the way, this so called “victory for justice” has probably gone completely unnoticed by their constituency as it struggles to overcome the misery inflicted on them by the ANC
Why would Maverick call Gaza a one sided war. Hamas started this conflict just to get the sympathy of likeminded countries and now they cannot handle the conflict they caused. One sided reporting
“Why would M̶a̶v̶e̶r̶i̶c̶k̶ Queenin Musuabi call Gaza a one-sided war?” There, fixed that for you.
Fully agree
An embarrassing article you the ANC spokesperson at the DM
Classic ” Communist Liberation ” tactic…. build up the imaginary enemy around every bush , keep the voter ignorant !
More reason to vote DA
I never doubt the capacity of the ANC. Just when I think they have sunk to the bottom of the barrel, they are able to find a way to sink even lower.
“we say this humbly without pointing fingers..” Really who are you trying to kid? you have already done exactly that.
Nothing but a sham to get funding for the elections from Iran.
Unfortunately we will all suffer – “those that curse Israel will be cursed”. It’s not just a saying, history has a habit of repeating itself!
Fayzal- you are obviously a Muslim first and then a human. You are ever so grateful to and would vote again for the odious and wicked anc as lives matter more than corruption, the destruction of a country, the starving and exceedingly poor masses, rape, violence against women and children- so much so and all because of Palestinian lives. What about Ukrainian, Zimbabwean, Sudanese, Chechnyian, Syrian etc lives that your vile and hypocritical anc looked the other way and didn’t utter a word of condemnation, let alone rush to the ICJ. You are indeed a very shallow and gullible individual!
It’s clear that the West are filled with hypocrisy. It’s like Black and Brown lives don’t matter.
If any nation massacred 12 000 babies, they would have been branded as barbaric savages and isolated overnight, bombs would also follow promptly. Nobody can tell me killing Babies is self Defence
Is Cyril pre-empting a loss for the ANC at the polls later this year? This is the second set of excuses that he has put out there. It’s never the ANC at fault, always someone else’s.
What people and the ANC do not acknowledge and will not, is that Israel is not fighting the Palestinians, but they are at war with Hamas. Despite all the photographs showing the network of Hamas tunnels under hospitals, schools, and now graveyards, and ammunition hoards inside schools and below shopping malls, the press and ANC chose to ignore this and continue their onslaught against Israel. If Hamas hadn’t have launched their attack in October, none of this would have happened.
How are the poor and vulnerable in our country going to benefit from the so called victory at the ICJ. Who paid for the for the South African contingent to go to The Hague. Where did the money come from? Tax payers or Iran ? By going on the world stage ,attention has been brought to the fact that our country is so corrupt , inept and unable to govern, so how can they give advice on how to sto the war in Gaza
Now this is hypocrisy doing the right deed ,for the wrong reason. And here i had thought the ANC had a shred of its old principles left. Trust the ANC for continually disappointing me.
Aid from the west goes to Palestine.
So essentially it goes to Hamas.
Hamas comes to SA in Dec 2023
SA opens the ICJ case.
Money talks
Not any more, aid has been withdrawn by the West
What a bunch of clowns. Completely losing every battle at home. No credibility in any facet of life. Now trying to fight battles elsewhere to gain some credibility. Like a father who beats his own wife and children and then hands out food parcels to other families to show what an upstanding family man he is. Idiots.
Dear Mr ramaphosa, what about Russia and there atrocious acts in Ukraine? No vote from me this time sir.
What Mr Mbeki does in this international matter … isn’t he the one responsible for complete failure of protecting SA citizens against AIDS, whi is responsible for millions of deaths among our people by negating the medical science to fight the pandemic. ? He should be denied any official position in any public action and any credibility.
And what about the South Africans who have no housing, no water, no electricity, no medical assistance, no jobs and the children who are dying of malnutrition? Is this not genocide?
I believe your report is mis leading in that you state “a majority of judges presiding over the ICJ case granted most of the measures requested by South Africa to prevent a rising genocide in Gaza and the rest of Palestine.” This assumes that “genocide ” has already been committed. The Judges said that Israel should take steps to prevent genocide which is quite a different matter. Ramaphosa, who speaks with forked tongue, has also twisted the verdict in similar fashion.
So he has merely now come out and in effect admitted the costly ICJ junket is as much a cynical election ploy as it has been a performative externalisation of current ANC animus towards Jews, simultaneously debasing the meaning of the word genocide. It makes one wonder how much lower they can stoop to Potemkin village skullduggery to hang onto their meal tickets.
I wonder how stupid they think voters are.
It’s to be expected that this morally bankrupt so called government would try to claim ‘victory’ for their propagandist and opportunist farce of a court case. All they have achieved is to expose their true loyalties and intentions to the SA citizens. Hopefully they are watching and will put a stop to these communist lackeys in the upcoming elections, but I am not holding my breath….
Ramaphosa, you and your cabal are simply the definitive Vile Bodies. Your posturing after the “victory” in the ICJ was an exercise in pure cynicism after your inglorious movement failed so badly with al-Bashir or the Ukraine war (yes, women and children are dying there too). You really don’t care about the Palestinian people or the Islamist rape and terror in Africa. Nor do you care about increasing malnutrition in South African children, drownings in pit toilets, a destitute eastern Cape woman killing her children and herself. All you care about is the survival of your odious party probably with a little help from your friends in Iran, Russia, China. You disgust me.
After Zuma’s gross misbehaviour,
Ramaphosa entered as our saviour,
Well, as time went by,
People were asking why,
‘Cos he’s not Ramaphoria but Ramafailure!
I looked at a map of the area today. I cannot ever see Gaza being joined with the West Bank, there’s a near 50 km separation across Israel.
so mr ramaphosa … where were you and your case for sudan ? what about the christains in nigeria. how about the matabele in zim yet you and the crocodile are big mates. what about syria and should i mention gender apartheid in iran. i guess you have no comment there because you didnt care. makes me believe the storys re iran paying you or is it just smoke and mirrors to try deflect attention from the mess sa is in. maybe you just care because jews are involved. ..please i laugh at you and yours
“Conscience and principles” yeah right
For once the ANC has done the right thing. We’ll done and keep it up 💯 %
The ANC are really sinking to new depths – or are they preparing the grounds to dispute a lost election? They are crazy enough
The ANC had little success with the ICJ in truth. Their case aimed at securing 1) a judgement that Israel was intentionally committing genocide and 2) an interdict that Israel cease all ,military action immediately.
They accomplished neither of these aims. That is a failure in anyone’s book and a win for Israel. This application and hearing cost some R2 billion and one has to ask where did such funds come from, although I think we can work it out?
When despots have lost themselves in their fantasy of omnipotence, taking refuge in conspiracy theories seems to be the way to be celebrated by his followers despite the obvious failure. Trump and Putin send their regards, the patterns are always the same.
“…but we should never doubt the capacity of the ANC-led government”
Nobody doubts the lack thereof. How these clowns are still in power is truly mindboggling, every statement now is just a diversion tactic from their consistent miserable failures. At least I don’t have to hear about “how far we’ve come” anymore as if “Things may be made, but just remember they could be worse,” is considered a success.
No, Mr President, there is no “third force” seeking to undertake “regime change”, there is just a sizable proportion of the electorate who sick and tired of corruption, maladministration, looting, and incompetence, and who are fed up with the country being allowed by the government to fall apart and slide into disaster. It is unacceptable for the ANC to try and use the ICJ case as a diversionary tactic to try and distract the electorate from the disaster that the ANC has created, and to try and use the judgment as a populist ploy to gain votes in the election. It is truly a desperate ploy to try to blame others for the substantially declining support for the ANC, when it is the sole creator of the situation that it finds itself in.
Did Karl Niehaus scribble this piece of deranged rubbish about regime change? Yirrrrrre, Cyril! You’re gonna get heavy metal poisoning from that tin foil hat you’re cowering under as the ANC tanks!
Wonder what the goal is of rampies and his party of ……, let me not say it. Long time ago a Canadian friend asked me if I know why these imbeciles want to call our country ‘Azania’. Simple actually, to be first in the handout queue. We are well on our way.
I have been in Gaza many times. Gaza is a small area housing just under 600,000 people in apartment buildings. It reminded me of Hillbrow. The massive military actions against Gaza must by now have destroyed the homes of the vast majority of the ordinary people living there. It is past time for the military action against Gaza to stop, but Hamas has to stop as well.
The Israel/Gaza border is one of the most extensively guarded borders in the world. A lot of technology (cameras, motion detectors, vibration detectors etc) is deployed there. Only the Israeli border guard authority can, but never will, tell the truth about how the Hamas incursion was allowed to happen and was not countered for hours, allowing the killing, maiming and kidnap of Israelis to take place.
The ICJ made a proper ethical interim finding. South Africa should be lauded for leading the application BUT it is such a pity that Ramaphosa and his ilk did this because they and the ANC were paid to do it. Claiming that they initiated the application for humanitarian reasons is nonsense. The sudden burgeoning of the ANC coffers happened because of what they did.
To Quote Thomas Eliot (Murder in the Cathedral)
“The last act is the greatest treason. To do the right deed for the wrong reason.”
So congratulations Ramaphosa, you used South African taxpayers money to launch an application at the ICJ and the ANC were handsomely rewarded financially.
Tell us you’ve never been to Gaza without telling us you’ve never been to Gaza! 600,000 population – where on earth did you get that number from?
In political terminology, the ANC’s ICJ case against Israel is a classic case of the “Dead Cat Bounce” This is a tactic used by the Government of a country when it is falling out of favour with its electorate over its failure to bring about the necessary structural and economic reforms to improve the well being of its citizens during its time in power and facing the threat of “obliteration” at the Polls. This is the tactic Ramaphosa and the ANC cronies are using in their case against Israel in The Hague. They are hoping it deflects the minds of SA voters away from the 30 years of economic devastation they have inflicted on the country during their time in office. Its nothing more than a cynical trick wrapped up in the old ANC mantra of an “unseen malevolent third force” actively plotting against the future of SA which all right minded voters can see through and will not fall for in the upcoming General Election.
Isn’t it convenient how this ICJ case conveniently coincides with Iran’s entry into the Brics block……Iran ofcourse being Hamas’ no. 1 terrorist financier and the main supporter behind the 7 Oct attacks.
The incurably corrupt & morally bankrupt ANC, who couldn’t care less about the genocide of women & children here in SA, most certainly could NOT care less for any other country’s conflict. So perhaps this so-called “regime change agenda” is merely a smoak screen to divert from the ANC’s own agenda to remain in power, by cutting a deal with an established terrorist financier nation in Iran, in exchange for help to “win” the upcoming election….
In 2023 there was an average of ~70 murders per day in South Africa. In 2022 ~75/day. The figure is probably higher in each case, putting it well within the numbers of a war zone.
What exactly is the ANC government doing about this brutality on our own soil?
I commend the legal team for their efforts in bringing Israel’s government to book, but can’t help but laugh at the hypocrisy of the ANC claiming the moral high ground.
Tested with the Ring of Gyges, you reveal what all of us have known all along. You are no better than the Nats, Cyril.
Do you want to learn the dark art of reshaping your narrative before a decisive elections? We’ll teach you how to go from ‘bumbling ruling party with record-high corruption’ to.. mythical freedom fighter and hypothetical victim of nefarious western superpowers! Kind regards, your instructor and funder: Iran
I didn’t want to say anything earlier but it is so refreshing that all the sockpuppet accounts here have *finally* done some research and chosen *realistic* South African names to post their crap under! For a while there it was like a bad Hollywood movie where the bad guy is called ‘Sibongile Pretorious’ or ‘Wouter Dlamini’. Y’all make me laugh.
Now Mr. President, do the “right” thing regarding the WAR that Russia started. Lets not forget the billions of dollars in damages to civilian structures and the deaths of thousands of Ukrainians in this illegal war. Lets see the ANC now take Russia to the ICJ.
I hope that the AGOA agreements are cancelled. The ANC can then approach Russian , China and Iran for a much better deal then the West has to offer. Hamas leaders live the good life away from the fighting so they can use some of the international aid received from the West to pass on to their friends in the ANC government.
What about first getting the South African country in good working order. Hospitals, Escom, Transnet, Schools and all of the countries infrastructure back in good working order before meddling in other countries
The useful idiot face Hamas wants you to see. The same ANC, replete with the same characters and their same buddies that has looted and broken SA – suddenly became due north on the world’s moral compass? Does anyone really believe this stuff?
You got everything right except I am not sure if you intentionally left the occupation, bombing and cleansing in Gaza, west bank and occupied settlements.
The indifference or bias on civilian casualties is inhumane to Jews and Palestinians alike.
To hell with Agoa we will survive.
Sorry to those born with a silver spoon.
Europe serves you after you serve their interests right or wrong.
Ramaphosa is 100% US is plotting regime change in South Africa and even before Israel, the US dream is to have a puppet DA government that would take orders from Biden
how come we are hosting a terrorist organization. is this internationly legal?
The blame for Hamas’s action on 7th October rests at the door step of Israel. One cannot expect an oppressed nation not to resist occupation. A proposed Palestinian state within the pre 1967 war boundaries is a huge compromise and sacrifice by the Palestinians which Israel should grab with both hands because the Israel mandated by The UN is much smaller. There is really no legitimacy for Israel to get more land from Palestine than what was provided for by The UN in 1948. If Israel believes that war can get them more land than it should know that land can be lost due to war. The best option for both nations is a just, negotiated solution.