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President Cyril Ramaphosa used the occasion of the African National Congress\u2019s (ANC\u2019s) 114th anniversary celebration at the Moruleng Stadium in the North West to take a swipe at \u2018bullies\u2019, both at home and abroad, that seek to divide South Africans and undo the gains of democracy.<\/span><\/p>\n The President began his speech by commemorating the 30th anniversary of South Africa\u2019s Constitution, which remains one of the most progressive in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n However, he said this celebration takes place amid \u201cincreasingly strident attacks\u201d on constitutional values, the rule of law and the rule-based international order.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAcross the world, the values of democracy, equality, equity, inclusion, human solidarity, gender equality and social justice are under attack,\u201d Ramaphosa said.<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n Ramaphosa even accused these \u201cforces\u201d of trying to establish regime change in South Africa.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTheir aim is to undermine South Africa\u2019s constitutional democracy, non-racialism, non-sexism and the transformation project. They employ multifaceted tactics, including the propagation of blatant falsehoods such as claims of \u2018white genocide\u2019, to attract sympathy and <\/span>solidarity from global racist movements and individuals,” the president said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOn 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.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019s sovereignty on the global stage.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe as a people refused to be divided, we refuse to be bullied by anyone, whether here or around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe are united in our will and our resolve.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n He acknowledged that the political party needed to correct its weaknesses in order to reclaim its role as \u201cleader\u201d of society.<\/span><\/p>\n To that end, Ramaphosa said the government had identified six tasks that would be prioritised in 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n These include:<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n The ANC\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n News<\/strong><\/p>\n President Cyril Ramaphosa used the occasion of the African National Congress\u2019s (ANC\u2019s) 114th anniversary celebration at the Moruleng Stadium in the North West to take a swipe at \u2018bullies\u2019, both at home and abroad, that seek to divide South Africans and undo the gains of democracy. The President began his speech by commemorating the 30th […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":268862,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[2475,9665,2818,2315,20042,426,11607,943,1246,807],"class_list":{"0":"post-268861","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-politics","8":"tag-anc","9":"tag-bullies","10":"tag-change","11":"tag-delivery","12":"tag-enact","13":"tag-ramaphosa","14":"tag-regime","15":"tag-service","16":"tag-vows","17":"tag-warns"},"yoast_head":"\n‘Anti-transformation forces’<\/span><\/h2>\n
A promise to fix what’s wrong<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Get your news on the go. Download the latest App for Android and IOS now.<\/em><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"