Ramaphosa concludes visit to Ukraine, Russia with no concrete agreement to end war

Ramaphosa

Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has concluded his working visit to Russia and Ukraine where he joined other African heads of states for the African Peace Mission to promote peace between the two countries.

The visit was concluded with with no concrete commitment from either side to end the hostilities.

Ramaphosa, along with leaders from Senegal, Zambia, and Comoros, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Despite challenges faced by South African security personnel in Poland, Ramaphosa successfully presented ten key elements of the initiative during the meetings.

He called for an end to the war in Ukraine and emphasised the importance of resolving conflicts through peaceful means.

Ramaphosa expressed Africa’s concern about the negative impact of the war on the continent’s economies and called for de-escalation and the safe movement of goods across the Black Sea.

The African leaders also advocated for the release of prisoners of war and the return of children to their families.

They highlighted the need for post-war reconstruction and expressed their willingness to contribute to the peace process.

President Putin thanked the African leaders for their efforts and expressed Russia’s openness to constructive dialogue.

South Africa had previously abstained from a UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, emphasizing the need for meaningful engagement between the two parties to achieve peace.

 

Moscow – President Cyril Ramaphosat, in Russia as part of a delegation pushing for peace between Kyiv and Moscow, told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Saturday that the fighting had to stop.

His delegation put forward a set of principles that the Kremlin deemed “very difficult to implement”, a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ruled out talks with Moscow.

The delegation brought the voice of a continent that has badly suffered from repercussions of the Ukraine conflict, particularly with rising grain prices.

“This war must be settled… through negotiations and through diplomatic means,” South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa said after talks in the suburbs of Saint Petersburg.

Russian authorities have effectively banned the word “war” to describe their military operation in Ukraine.

Ramaphosa added that his delegation, which has leaders and senior officials from seven African countries, “would like this war to be ended”.

Ramaphosa listed 10 principles, which included de-escalation, the recognition of countries’ sovereignty, security guarantees for all countries, unimpeded grain exports through the Black Sea and sending prisoners of war and children back to their countries of origin.

The mission included the presidents of South Africa, Senegal, Comoros and Zambia, as well as top officials from Uganda, Egypt and Congo-Brazzaville.

‘Difficult to implement’ 

“Any initiative is very difficult to implement,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by the state-run agency RIA Novosti.

“But President Putin has shown interest in considering it,” Peskov said after the leaders held a meeting behind closed doors.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the plan was “not formulated on paper”.

Putin had praised the delegation’s “balanced” approach and said he was “open to a constructive dialogue with all those who want to implement peace based on the principles of justice and respect for the parties’ legitimate interests”.

Moscow has in the past repeated that any negotiations would need to take into account “new territorial realities”.

Zelensky, speaking on Friday after Ramaphosa called for de-escalation following their talks in Kyiv, repeated his position that Ukraine must recover territories lost to Russia to achieve peace.

When an air raid siren sounded in Kyiv shortly after the delegation’s arrival earlier on Friday, forcing it to take shelter, Zelensky said it showed that Putin either did not control his army or was “irrational”.

Focus on the battlefield 

African countries have been divided over their response to the fighting. While some have sided with Ukraine, others have remained neutral or gravitated towards Moscow.

Efforts to secure peace appear increasingly perilous, analysts told AFP, with both Kyiv and Moscow convinced they can win on the battlefield.

Ukraine launched a long-awaited counteroffensive earlier this month.

Russian officials — including Putin — have insisted the counteroffensive is failing despite Kyiv claiming some gains.

Kyiv said Friday evening that its units were having “tactical success” in nearly all areas where they were fighting in the south.

The Russian army, meanwhile, said it had repelled all assaults from Ukraine.

‘Negative impact’ on Africa

If analysts doubted the African mission could secure a concrete peace, there had been hope it would achieve some concessions.

Securing the future viability of a deal allowing grain from Ukraine to reach the global market would be one potential goal of the delegation.

“This war is having a negative impact on the African continent and indeed on many other countries around the world,” Ramaphosa said ahead of formal talks with the Russian president.

Putin said “the crisis on the global food market is by no means a consequence” of the Ukraine conflict.

Russia accuses the West of blocking its exports of fertilisers and threatens to pull out of a deal — due to expire on July 17 — that has allowed vital Ukrainian grain exports to resume through the Black Sea.

“We do not believe that shipments of Ukrainian grain supplies can solve the problems of poverty and hunger,” Putin said during the meeting.

Zelensky had asked the African leaders to “please, let them release our political prisoners. I think this will be an important result of your mission.”

Referring to prisoners of war, Putin said on Saturday: “We are ready to continue this process.”

In Ukraine, Russian and Ukrainian officials in the area devastated by flooding from the destruction of a Russian-held dam announced revised death tolls Saturday.

The toll in Russian-held areas had risen to 29, officials there said.

Kyiv said the number killed in its territory had risen to 16, with 31 still missing, and warned that the threat of air strikes “remains high across Ukraine”.

“The enemy continues to focus its main efforts on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Maryinka axes and heavy battles continue,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

In Washington, US President Joe Biden warned that the United States would not make special arrangements for Ukraine to join the NATO military alliance.

“They’ve got to meet the same standards,” he told reporters. “So we’re not going to make it easy.”

Next week, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will call on investors and businesses at a two-day summit in London to match Ukraine’s “bravery on the battlefield” with support to get the country back on its feet. – AFP

 

 

Moscow – President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is in Russia as part of a peace-seeking delegation, on Saturday told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that the conflict in Ukraine had to stop.

“This war must be settled… through negotiations and through diplomatic means,” said Ramaphosa.

He added that his delegation, consisting of seven African leaders, “would like this war to be ended.

“This war is having a negative impact on the African continent and indeed on many other countries around the world,” Ramaphosa said ahead of formal talks with the Russian president.

On Friday, the delegation held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

“We have come to listen to you and through you to hear the voice of the Russian people,” said Comoros President Azali Assoumani, who currently heads the African Union.

“We wanted to encourage you to enter into negotiations with Ukraine,” he said.

African countries have been divided over their response to the conflict, with some siding with Ukraine, while others have remained neutral or gravitated towards Moscow. – AFP

 

Moscow – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday praised the “balanced approach” of African countries towards the Ukraine conflict, ahead of formal talks with the delegation aiming to push for peace between Kyiv and Moscow.

“We welcome the balanced approach of African friends to the Ukraine crisis,” Putin told African leaders from seven countries.

The high-level diplomatic team, which went to Kyiv on Friday, hopes to bring to the table the voice of a continent that has badly suffered from the repercussions of the Ukraine conflict including by rising grain prices.

“We are open to a constructive dialogue with all those who want to implement peace based on the principles of justice and respect for the parties’ legitimate interests,” Putin said.

The delegation, which arrived in Russia on Saturday a day after talks in Ukraine, includes four presidents: South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Senegal’s Macky Sall, Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema and Comoros’ Azali Assoumani, who also currently heads the African Union.

The leaders of Uganda, Egypt and Congo-Brazzaville pulled out of the visit at the last moment and sent representatives instead.

“In Russia, we highly respect the position of African countries in support of global stability… and support their desire for a pacifist policy,” Putin said. – AFP

 

President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is in Russia as part of a peace-seeking delegation, on Saturday told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that the conflict in Ukraine had to stop.

“This war has to have an end… It must be settled through negotiations and through diplomatic means,” said Ramaphosa, who added that “this war is having a negative impact on the African continent and indeed on many other countries around the world.”– AFP

 

Putin says ‘open to constructive dialogue’ ahead of talks with African mission

Cape Town – African leaders hoping to mediate in the Ukraine conflict were welcomed to a government palace near St Petersburg on Saturday by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed skepticism about the meeting, stating that peace talks with Russia could only happen after Russian forces withdrew from occupied Ukrainian territory.

President Cyril Ramaphosa saw the talks as part of their mission to share the African perspective.

The African leaders, including representatives from Senegal, Egypt, Zambia, Uganda, Congo Republic, and the Comoro Islands, met Putin at the Konstantinovsky Palace.

The leaders aimed to reach an agreement on confidence-building measures while Ukraine launched a counteroffensive against Russian forces.

The Kremlin downplayed the chances of meaningful talks with Kyiv but expressed openness to external initiatives and a willingness to listen.

DA slams Ramaphosa’s Russia-Ukraine trip as ‘a disgrace’

Cape Town – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa’s diplomatic trip to Poland, Ukraine, and Russia.

The party accused the president’s administration of incompetence, alleging that they lied about being unaware of missile strikes on Kyiv during the visit.

In a statement on Saturday, the DA called Ramaphosa’s trip a disgrace.

The party said it will submit urgent parliamentary questions to determine the cost to taxpayers of Ramaphosa’s “shambolic political stunt”.

Read the full statement below:

Over the past two days, President Cyril Ramaphosa has disgraced South Africa on the global stage.

Not only did the Presidency lie about being unaware of missile strikes on Kyiv while Ramaphosa’s so-called peace mission was in town, but his administration’s sheer incompetence caused a planeload full of his bodyguards, journalists and apparently unauthorised weapons to be denied entry to both Poland and Ukraine.

Cyril Ramaphosa must be held accountable for the millions of Rands in taxpayer funds wasted on his failed PR stunt.

The DA is submitting a series of urgent parliamentary questions to determine the full cost to the people of South Africa of this shambolic political stunt.

We will be submitting a full set of questions to the Presidency to obtain a detailed breakdown of the security detail accompanying President Ramaphosa on this trip, as well as the total cost to the South Africa taxpayer;

We will also be submitting a question the President asking whether he stands by the cries of racism levelled at Polish authorities by his disgraced security chief, Wally Rhoode, who is also a prime suspect in the Phala Phala scandal.

It appears that Ramaphosa’s ill-fated airplane did not have authorisation to enter the airspace of various countries, while dangerous and undeclared weapons and goods may also have been on board. Covering up its own incompetence by shouting “racism” is something the ANC is used to at home. But on the global stage, it will simply hasten our country’s return to a pariah state.

We will be submitting questions to the National Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, to determine what ammunition and other materials were sourced and loaded onto the aircraft, as well as the cost of all materials;

Finally, I will be writing to the South African Auditor General requesting that the cost of this peacekeeping trip be declared as fruitless and wasteful expenditure, given the fact that due diligence was not carried out on the part of the South African state.

It is now clear for all to see that this trip was designed to spin the utterly incompetent Ramaphosa out of trouble over his ongoing support for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. He even flew an entire contingent of journalists to Europe in the obvious hope that they would help save his collapsed political image.

Ramaphosa’s ego trip to Europe has spectacularly backfired. Ukrainian President Volodomir Zelensky rejected his naive so-called peace plan for the theatrics it is. And instead of polishing his rapidly-fading image, the journalists on board his plane were treated disgracefully due to the hubris and incompetence of Cyril Ramaphosa.

While President Cyril Ramaphosa tears up the South African Constitution on a podium in Eastern Europe, South Africans back home are beyond appalled at his wilful oblivion to the plight of the Ukrainian people at the mercy of Russian imperialism and aggression.

The ANC may see no problem in siding with global despots and warmongers, but the people of South Africa still believe in freedom, democracy, sovereignty, and human rights.

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Composed by Betha Madhomu

 

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived on Saturday in Russia, as part of a mission of African leaders aiming to push for peace between Moscow and Kyiv, the South African presidency said.

“His arrival in Russia’s cultural capital, follows constructive discussions with President Volodymyr Zelensky,” the presidency said, adding the African delegation would “meet with President Vladimir Putin to seek a road to peace to the 16 months-long conflict between Ukraine and Russia which has thus caused devastating economic impact, loss of life and global instability.” – AFP

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Composed by Betha Madhomu

Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in St Petersburg, Russia as part of the African peace mission to the Ukraine and Russia conflict zone.

Following discussions with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ramaphosa and other African leaders will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Their objective is to find a peaceful resolution to the 16-month-long conflict that has had severe consequences.

Ramaphosa is accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor and is expected to return to South Africa on Sunday.

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Composed by Betha Madhomu

 

 

LIVE | Ramaphosa to meet Putin in Russia without his full security detail

Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg on Saturday, but he will be without his full security detail.

Almost 100 security personnel and a dozen journalists were barred from flying over Hungarian airspace to reach Ramaphosa in Russia.

The South African Airways chartered flight carrying the Presidential Protection Unit and media was detained for 26 hours in Warsaw due to a dispute over the weapons on board.

The head of the Presidential Protection Unit accused the Polish government of racism and endangering the president’s safety.

The Polish government cited permit issues for refusing to allow the weapons to be offloaded in Warsaw.

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LIVE | Flight clearance denied, Ramaphosa’s guards forced to return amid Russian trip fiasco

Cape Town – The South African government’s chartered plane carrying around 120 security personnel from the Presidential Protection Service (PPS), SAPS task force, and other specialised units failed to receive flight clearance to fly to Russia, News24 reported on Saturday.

The security personnel were meant to be deployed to Kyiv and St Petersburg to ensure President Cyril Ramaphosa’s safety during his meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

However, due to logistical failures, the entire contingent, including the head of the PPS, General Wally Rhoode, was stranded aboard the chartered SAA Airbus at Warsaw’s Chopin Airport for more than 26 hours while the president was in Ukraine, the report said.

Polish authorities refused the South Africans entry into Poland due to faulty and incomplete permits related to the cargo of arms on the aircraft.

As a result, the flight clearance to depart Warsaw for St Petersburg was also denied, forcing the plane to return to Pretoria without accomplishing any of its mission objectives, said the report.

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

African leaders prepare to meet Putin after Zelensky rules out talks

Kyiv – A high-level African delegation was preparing to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, a day after its calls for talks between Moscow and Kyiv were rebuffed by Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.

The diplomatic team had gone to Kyiv on Friday to voice the concerns of a continent that has suffered from the fallout of Russia’s invasion – in particular rising grain prices – with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa insisting “there should be peace through negotiations”.

But Zelensky ruled out that possibility during a joint press conference with the delegates, telling reporters: “I clearly said several times at our meeting that to allow any negotiations with Russia now that the occupier is on our land is to freeze the war, to freeze pain and suffering”.

The message in the tweet translates as follows:

“All the nations deserve to live freely without imposing an alien will politically or by military means.

“But no one can feel that their borders are protected and the safety of their people is guaranteed while Russia is trying to make aggression and theft of foreign lands a global norm.

“It’s obvious that the cessation of Russian terror and the withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukraine’s entire territory is what can stop this war.

“Ukraine and the whole world do NOT need either frozen conflicts or wars on a slow burner. Peace is needed. Today, we talked about the way to achieve a true and just peace without any Russian blackmail and deception with a delegation of heads of state and high-ranking officials of African states.”

 

 

Shortly after the African leaders’ arrival, air raid sirens sounded across the country as Russian missiles were detected, forcing the delegates to take shelter in the capital.

Zelensky said the strike on Kyiv during the delegation’s visit showed that Putin either did not control his army, or was “irrational”.

Ramaphosa, however, took the barrage as evidence that both sides needed to stop fighting.

“It is precisely that type of event that we saw today… that makes us call for de-escalation,” Ramaphosa said, quoting Nelson Mandela several times on the need for peace.

In a statement, Zelensky said he had called on the leaders to set out their views on how to stop the “crimes committed by Russia”, and how to work towards food security.

“But first of all, we must restore the full force of the UN Charter and stop this brutal Russian aggression and free our land,” he added.

The African delegation had gone first to Bucha, a town outside the capital that has become synonymous with alleged war crimes carried out by Moscow.

The group includes four presidents: Ramaphosa, Senegal’s Macky Sall, Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema and Comoros’ Azali Assoumani, who also currently heads the African Union.

The leaders of Uganda, Egypt and Congo-Brazzaville pulled out of the visit at the last moment and sent representatives instead.

The meeting came as Ukraine announced gains in a new counteroffensive, but Putin claimed on Friday that Kyiv’s forces “stand no chance” in the sectors where fighting has intensified.

‘Clear message’ 

Following Friday’s attack on Kyiv, the Ukrainian Air Force said it had shot down 12 missiles, including six hypersonic ones.

There was no reported damage inside the city, but seven people including two children were wounded, the regional police said.

“With what happened today, it’s very obvious also to the African leaders how sincere Putin is about stopping the conflict,” said Peter Stano, a spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

Ukrainian officials were also quick to call attention to the strike.

“Russian missiles are a message to Africa: Russia wants more war, not peace,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

The African leaders were set to meet Putin in the northwestern Russian city of Saint Petersburg on Saturday.

“In our view it is important to listen very carefully to what both countries have to say, and tomorrow we are now going to listen to President Putin,” Ramaphosa said.

Speaking at an annual economic forum in Saint Petersburg on Friday, Putin displayed little appetite for peace talks, announcing the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus while also calling Zelensky a “disgrace to the Jewish people”.

Russia first announced plans to station tactical nuclear arms in its ally and neighbour in March, with Putin saying Friday that the “first nuclear warheads were delivered to the territory of Belarus”.

He said the weapons were meant as a deterrent to “those who are thinking of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia”.

Putin also told forum attendees he had “a lot of Jewish friends” who had told him “that Zelensky is not Jewish, that he is a disgrace to the Jewish people”.

Despite Zelensky’s Jewish heritage, Moscow has justified its war with claims it needs to “de-Nazify” Ukraine.

‘Touching livelihoods’

Analysts, meanwhile, said the delegation’s mediating effort could hope to win some concessions from the Kremlin ahead of a Russia-Africa summit next month.

The African continent has been badly hit by rising grain and fertiliser prices as well as the wider impact on global trade since Russia invaded Ukraine last year.

“This conflict is also affecting African countries negatively, touching on the livelihoods of 1.2 or 1.3 billion people on the African continent,” Ramaphosa said.

African nations have been divided over their response to the war, with some siding with Ukraine and others remaining neutral or gravitating towards Moscow.

South Africa, for one, has drawn scrutiny for refusing to condemn the offensive launched by Moscow.

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Ramaphosa urges Russia and Ukraine to de-escalate

In brief:

KYIV – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday called on Ukraine and Russia to de-escalate their conflict, as he arrived in the war-torn country on a mission to broker peace.

“This war must be settled and there should be peace through negotiations,” he told reporters after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ramaphosa was among a group of African leaders and officials from seven countries visiting Kyiv as part of a mission aimed at brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine.

The leaders first visited the town of Bucha near Kyiv, the scene of an alleged massacre while occupied by Russia.

Air raid sirens sounded across Ukraine after they arrived on Friday morning and the air force said it had downed 12 Russian missiles.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson told journalists in Kyiv that the president went down to a shelter during the air raid.

“Today as we were here, we heard of missile strikes and those types of hostilities are not good for fostering peace,” Ramaphosa told journalists.

“We argue that there must be de-escalation on both sides.”

The African delegation also included Senegal’s Macky Sall and Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema as well as Comoros’ Azali Assoumani, who heads the African Union.

Ramaphosa said Zelensky gave them “a very honest and heartfelt account” of what was happening in Ukraine.

Zelensky said on social media that he and the African leaders discussed ways to “achieve a true and just peace without any Russian blackmail and deception”.

“Ukraine and the world do not need either frozen conflicts or simmering wars,” he said.

“Peace is needed.”

The visit came as Ukraine has announced gains in its counteroffensive, even though Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukrainian forces “stand no chance.”

Putin is set to meet with the delegation of the African leaders on Saturday.

“In our view it is important to listen very carefully to what both countries have to say and tomorrow we are now going to listen to President Putin,” the South African president said.

“We will then be able, together, the seven countries, to come up with a summary and what we are really heartened with is, there is a willingness for further engagement with us.”

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Ramaphosa meets with Zelensky in Kyiv

Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa attended African leaders’ peace talks in Ukraine and expressed his commitment to brokering a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

However, on his way to Kyiv, a group of South African journalists and Ramaphosa’s security detail were detained in Warsaw for over 26 hours, causing uncertainty about their ability to continue to St Petersburg for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Despite the air strikes in Kyiv, Ramaphosa remained undeterred and emphasised the need for de-escalation.

“This war must be settled and there should be peace through negotiations,” he told reporters after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

He was accompanied by the Presidents of Zambia, Senegal, and Comoros, and they vowed to work towards peace in the region.

Ramaphosa also stated the importance of discussing the UN Charter and respecting the sovereignty of countries in his upcoming meeting with Putin.

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

 

Zelenskiy demands Russian withdrawal, questions African leaders’ meeting with Putin

Cape Town – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says peace talks with Russia can only happen if Moscow withdraws its forces from Ukrainian territory.

He expressed confusion over the decision of African leaders to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg and questioned its logic.

“…This is their decision, how logical it is, I don’t really understand.

“To allow any negotiations with Russia now while the occupier is on our land is to freeze the war, to freeze everything: pain and suffering.

“We need real peace, and therefore, a real withdrawal of Russian troops from our entire independent land,” Zelenskiy told a joint press conference with the delegation, according to Reuters.

Zelenskiy reiterated Ukraine’s stance that negotiations with Russia while it occupies Ukrainian land would only freeze the conflict and the suffering.

While Ukraine remains committed to its own peace initiative based on a complete Russian withdrawal, it invited the African leaders to participate in an international peace summit.

The African delegation, including leaders from Senegal, Egypt, Zambia, South Africa, and the Comoros, arrived in Kyiv amid Russian missile attacks.

President Cyril Ramaphosa saw talks with Russia as part of the mission to share the African perspective and emphasised the importance of negotiations even during intense conflicts.

The African leaders aim to mediate in the war to mitigate its impact on African countries, particularly disruptions in grain and food supplies.

They also called for the free flow of grain, highlighting Ukraine’s role as a major global producer and exporter. While African nations have generally maintained neutrality in the Ukraine war, they have closer economic ties with the United States and Europe.

The African leaders are seeking confidence-building measures and further participation in a peace agreement in Ukraine.

The Kremlin downplayed the possibility of meaningful peace talks, citing the absence of suitable conditions, but expressed openness to outside initiatives.

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SA security personnel, media disembark charter plane

Cape Town – A delegation of security personnel and media has finally disembarked from the SAA Airbus A340-300 plane that landed at Warsaw Chopin Airport in Poland.

The delegation, which includes specialised police officers and journalists, had spent over 24 hours on the plane as Polish officials initially refused to let them off.

The media was meant to cover President Cyril Ramaphosa’s involvement in the African Peace Initiative, where he is leading a delegation of African leaders to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia.

Earlier, the head of the Presidential Protection Services (PPS), Major General Wally Rhoode, expressed frustration over delays experienced despite the delegation being in possession of the necessary permits.

Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya assured the public that the President’s safety was not compromised.

“I’d like to assure all South Africans that there has been no compromise whatsoever to the President’s safety as a result of the impasse that involved the charter flight with the PPS and media.

“We acknowledge the regrettable nature of that incident, our officials are engaging with their Polish counterparts to resolve the impasse so that the PPS team and media can proceed with their journey as planned as well as be able to at least [be at] the Russian leg of the peace talks.

“We are deeply disturbed by the experience they have gone through and we are engaging our Polish counterparts to see to it that the situation is resolved,” Magwenya said on Friday.

President Ramaphosa arrived in Ukraine on Friday 16 June, after meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw.

The aim of the mission is to gather input from both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin on how to end the war that began in February of the previous year.

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Polish govt claims undeclared ‘unsafe goods’ on SAA plane carrying Ramaphosa’s security

In brief:

Johannesburg – South Africa said on Friday a plane carrying the security personnel accompanying President Cyril Ramaphosa on a peace mission to Ukraine was held up in Poland, in an incident that sparked a diplomatic squabble.

A charter flight carrying security forces and journalists was blocked upon landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport on Thursday, with Polish authorities not allowing those on board to disembark, according to South African officials.

“We’re deeply disturbed by the experience they’ve gone through,” Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said in a statement on Friday, describing the incident as “regrettable”.

The Polish government said some of those on board did not have permission to carry weapons into the country and were thus not allowed to disembark.

“They were not given permission to leave the plane with their weapons. They considered that they would remain on board,” said the country’s deputy minister for special services, Stanislaw Zaryn.

Magwenya said South African officials were working to resolve the impasse, which earlier triggered an outburst from the head of Ramaphosa’s security, who accused Polish authorities of racism – a charge Zaryn dismissed as “nonsense”.

The plane left Pretoria early on Thursday, reportedly carrying about 120 people, in between security personnel and journalists.

The group was meant to follow Ramaphosa on his trip to Kyiv as part of an African leaders’ peace mission.

“They are delaying us, they are putting the life of our president in jeopardy,” the head of presidential security, Major General Wally Rhoode, said in an impromptu on-board press conference.

“They say we don’t have permits, we have permits,” Rhoode added, albeit admitting some members of the delegation only had copies of the required papers. “See how racist they are.”

Magwenya later denied the incident had compromised the president’s safety.

Mission going ‘as planned’ 

Ramaphosa had arrived in Warsaw separately aboard the Inkwazi presidential jet, after attending a UN summit in Geneva, Switzerland.

Following a short meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda, he headed to Rzeszow, near the Ukrainian border, and then on to Kyiv by train, according to the presidential office.

“Notwithstanding the hitches that have been experienced in Poland…the rest of the mission is proceeding quite well and as planned,” Magwenya said. “The president arrived safely in Kyiv.”

On Friday afternoon, some journalists aboard the aircraft reported they had been finally allowed to disembark after more than 24 hours on the tarmac.

It was not immediately clear whether they would be allowed to travel onwards.

Magwenya said authorities were hoping the security team would be allowed to join Ramaphosa for the second leg of the peace talks on Saturday in Russia.

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Polish govt claims undeclared ‘unsafe goods’ on SAA plane carrying Ramaphosa’s security

Cape Town – The Polish foreign ministry has reportedly claimed that the grounding of SAA plane carrying President Cyril Ramaphosa’s security detail at the Chopin International Airport in Warsaw was due to undeclared dangerous goods.

The ministry alleged that the plane was transporting dangerous or unsafe goods that had not been declared, Times Live reported on Friday.

The plane was grounded for almost 24 hours.

The ministry said that the import of unauthorised dangerous materials and the presence of unnotified individuals on board caused the security concerns.

“On board the plane there were dangerous materials, the import of which was not authorised by South African representatives.

“In addition, there were people on board the plane who had not been previously notified to the Polish side,” the report quoted a statement from the minietry as saying.

The flight, which had over 120 people on board, including journalists, was en route to Kyiv and St Petersburg for Ramaphosa’s meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The passengers were uncertain if they would be allowed to proceed to St Petersburg.

The Polish ministry said it had made efforts to ensure a smooth trip but stated that actions were being taken to resolve the situation.

“The South African side was informed about all the necessary formalities for the delegation’s entry into the territory of the Republic of Poland and the required transport permits,” the ministry said, adding “actions are being taken to resolve the situation”.

Passengers on the South African aircraft, as stated by the Polish Border Guard, chose to stay on the plane despite being given the opportunity to disembark if they left their weapons behind.

“The members of the delegation had weapons with them, not having permission for their import, but they were allowed to leave the plane by themselves. Passengers made [a] decision to stay on board till the moment when the flight will be continued.

“The crew members were subject to [a] border check by the BG officers and after [that] they took rest,” the Polish Border Guard said, according to the report.

But according to EWN, Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has denounced reports from the Polish national security that officers on board the flight did not have permission to carry their weapons on Polish soil.

Magwenya said that permits for the weapons were secured in time.

No one on board the flight was fed on Friday and passengers were eagerly waiting to be transported to the terminal building, the report said.

It remained unclear whether the security forces will be able to travel on to Russia later on Friday.

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Delays in Poland ‘threatening Peace Mission in Ukraine-Russia Conflict’

Cape Town – The Head of the Presidential Protection Services (PPS) in South Africa, Major General Wally Rhoode, has expressed frustration over delays faced by a group of specialised police officers and journalists who were not allowed to disembark at Warsaw Chopin Airport in Poland.

The officers and journalists were part of a delegation led by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is attempting to mediate peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.

Rhoode criticised the behaviour of Polish officials, saying that their actions could hinder the mission’s goal of achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

The South African government had obtained all the necessary permits and had been engaging with Polish authorities for two weeks.

“They say we do not have permits, however, we do have permits, the embassy here made copies of the original permits because they thought it won’t be necessary to have originals.

“All of a sudden we must have originals, they are delaying us,” Rhoode said, adding that Polish officials wanted to “confiscate our firearms”.

The cargo was temporarily offloaded from the plane due to threats of confiscation.

Despite the delays, security for President Ramaphosa was ensured.

The African Leaders Peace Mission is a historic moment, as it marks the first time African heads of state have united to resolve a conflict outside the continent.

President Ramaphosa, along with other African leaders, is currently meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

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Unexpected Twist: Ramaphosa’s protection force, SA crew grounded again in Poland

Cape Town – Following an arduous wait of nearly 20 hours at Poland’s Warsaw Chopin Airport, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special forces and a group of journalists documenting the African peace initiative aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, were finally granted permission to proceed to their next destination.

However, just as passengers secured their seat belts, eager for takeoff, they were abruptly informed of a sudden change in plans and instructed to deboard the aircraft, reports say.

SAA pilot Capt Mpho Mamashela, entrusted with the responsibility of flying the chartered XS-SFX Airbus A340-300, scheduled to transport approximately 100 members of the president’s specialized protection team for the peace mission, initially verified the receipt of departure clearance on Friday, Times Live reported.

To ensure the required authorisation was granted, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and Director-General of International Relations Zane Dangor were called upon for assistance, the report said.

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SA security plane stuck in Poland set to takeoff amidst dispute 

Cape Town – A stranded SAA A340-300 charter flight, carrying specialised security personnel, senior police leaders, and journalists, is reportedly now set to depart from Warsaw, Poland.

There has been a dispute between South African and Polish officials regarding the plane, its passengers, and cargo.

The security team was supposed to support President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to Ukraine but never got the opportunity.

The reasons for the standoff between the two countries remain unclear, News24 reported.

The cost of the operation and which department will bear the expenses are also uncertain, the report said.

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the presidency, Vincent Mangwenya said the African Peace Mission “is proceeding well and as planned”.

“#AfricanPeaceMission is proceeding well and as planned. The President arrived safely in Kyiv by train along other Heads of State and Government and he remains safe. The impasse with the charter flight in Poland is being addressed by our officials and their Polish counterparts.”

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SA security plane still stuck in Poland amidst accusations of sabotage, racism 

Cape Town – A South African charter aircraft, carrying security personnel for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to Ukraine and Russia, has been effectively impounded by Polish authorities since Thursday, reports say.

The passengers and crew are stranded on the plane, living in dimly lit aisles and galleys, News24 reported.

Polish authorities refused to let the security personnel disembark, causing disruptions to the police and South African National Defence Force’s plans.

The head of the Presidential Protection Service, General Wally Rhoode, accused the Polish authorities of sabotage and racism, citing instances where they demanded new documents, permits, and even strip-searched a black female member of the team, the report said.

President Ramaphosa had to leave Poland with reduced security, traveling to Ukraine by train.

Conditions on the plane are deteriorating, resembling a refugee camp, with dwindling supplies and unwashed individuals.

The Polish authorities have not provided any official communication or timeline for the plane’s departure, said the report.

According to Times Live, the dramatic scenes unfolded on the tarmac of the Warsaw Chopin Airport, hours after Ramaphosa paid a courtesy call to his counterpart, Polish President Andrzej Duda.

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Ramaphosa’s security team stuck on plane in Poland as president heads to Kyiv for African Peace Mission 

Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa’s advance team, responsible for his security during his visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, reportedly faced delays and bureaucratic challenges while stranded on their plane in Poland.

While Ramaphosa met with the Polish President Andrzej Duda, his security detail and media contingent were stuck at Warsaw Chopin Airport, Times Live reported on Thursday.

The flight from South Africa encountered technical issues and had trouble obtaining clearance to fly over Italian airspace, the report said.

Upon landing in Warsaw, the journalists and special forces accompanying Ramaphosa were not allowed to disembark due to unspecified issues with the chartered flight meant to transport them to Rzesouw, said the report.

Ramaphosa proceeded to Kyiv while his security team remained on the plane.

Attempts were made to find alternative transportation options, such as procuring a Ukrainian plane, to reach Kyiv.

By 6 pm, Ramaphosa had arrived in Kyiv, leaving his special forces members behind.

The situation was described as a logistical nightmare, with the pilot being blamed for the diversion to Warsaw, said the report.

It was understood, however, that the president travelled with his close security detail, News24 reported

“The security team that was supposed to go to Ukraine in support of Ramaphosa will now not go anymore.

“It is unknown what the extensive deployment of the security personnel will cost.

“This followed days of delays before the security staff could leave South Africa after the government encountered numerous issues with charter planes, flight permits and insurance,” the report said.

Business Day earlier reported that the logistical challenges in the “multimillion rand” mission could prevent the placement of advance teams at various spots in Eastern Europe while Ramaphosa is in Poland.

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