“For president Ramaphosa… the relationship with Thabo Mbeki is cordial, or rather comradely cordial as well as professional and with observations around what the former president is attempting to do. The president will not venture into that [ [withdrawal] and will leave that to others to observe the developments as they occur in the political space. However, it is sufficient to say that one has noted that President Ramaphosa is by far the most publicly criticised and attacked president by his predecessors….but the president does accept that he is not above criticism,” he said.
Magwenya said the convention will bring about 1,000 delegates.
He also said SA’s negotiations with the US over new tariffs are “a very complex exercise” involving multiple countries and have no clear timelines.
“Trade negotiations, by their very nature, are complex. They’re not an event; they’re a process, and often it’s a process without timelines. Trump’s administration approach was based on their understanding of trade deficits and the use of tariffs as an instrument to trigger industrial development, and because we don’t share that understanding. It’s uncharted waters we are trying to navigate,” Mangwenya said.
Regarding recent incidents where Operation Dudula members were seen refusing foreign nationals entry to public healthcare facilities, Magwenya reaffirmed that constitutional rights apply to all.
“No one can deny a foreign national access to a public health facility… It just cannot happen. One cannot deny there is a scarcity of resources in communities and enormous pressure on the public health system but violence against anyone will not solve anything,” he said.
Sowetanlive
