Cyril Ramaphosa

Now, beyond the referrals and recommendations that I have made public, it would be unfair to witnesses whose testimony is not complete or individuals about whom the commission has not made any findings to publicise the information at this stage,

— Ramaphosa said during a parliamentary session addressing questions from the National Assembly about the Madlanga Commission report

The cost of what they contributed to our struggle is incalculable. We cannot even begin to count what it cost for us to be where we are. In stone and bronze, we continue to write our history. Not the history of those who held power unjustly but the history of those who refused to let injustice have the final word.

— Cyril Ramaphosa on the Mandela and Tambo statues, Durban, March 4, 2026.

Each day we wake up to some new assault on our democratic institutions, another setback to the idea of the rule of law, an offense to common decency. Every day, you wake up to new things you just didn't think were possible. Each day we're told by those in high office to fear each other and to turn on each other, and that some Americans count more than others, and that some don't even count it all.

— Barack Obama at the funeral service for Reverend Jesse Jackson

In the past, whenever soldiers were deployed it created fear because they were seen as trained only to shoot and kill. Now our defence force has developed capabilities to serve communities, build bridges, rescue people in danger and support the police.

— President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking in the National Assembly at the Nieuwmeester Dome during questions on the deployment of the SANDF to fight crime.

The military is not trained for civilian policing. We saw the disastrous backlash during the Covid-19 lockdown, where soldiers, operating under unclear rules of engagement, brutalised the very communities they were meant to protect. Deploying the SANDF into the complex social fabric of our townships is a recipe for confrontation, not safety. It criminalises an entire community rather than isolating the actual criminals.

— Mametlwe Sebei, president of the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (Giwusa), commenting on the SANDF deployment and its impact on communities.

Anticipatory self-defence is not permitted under international law and self-defence cannot be based on assumption or anticipation.

— Cyril Ramaphosa, in a statement explaining that Article 51 does not justify pre-emptive action against Iran

People, instead of implementing what will change the lives of our people, are buying them with bread.

— Malema said during Ramaphosa's oral question session in the National Assembly.

The extent of the damage suffered by ALS as a result of the statements made by Duma continues, and will further continue for so long as Duma remains uninterdicted from making further defamatory statements concerning the ALS.

— Garrith Jamieson, Director of ALS, in a supplementary affidavit to the Pietermaritzburg High Court, warning that Duma intends to persist in defaming ALS and himself.

I have declared war on outsourcing. Let us insource as much as we possibly can in government.

— President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke during a parliamentary debate on outsourcing/insourcing, highlighting the push to bring functions in-house.

I have employed 550 members of the SANDF for service in co-operation with the SAPS to prevent and combat crime and maintain and preserve law and order in Gauteng under Operation Prosper — illegal mining.

— Cyril Ramaphosa; addressing the deployment of the SANDF to Gauteng to combat illegal mining under Operation Prosper.

The target is high-profile people and you go and look who is involved in this, and say let's go and see because soon thereafter, you get a job as CEO," she said.— Sarah-Jane Trent during her testimony before the Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

"South Africa and Brazil share historic and fraternal ties built on friendship, shared African heritage, solidarity, South-South cooperation and multilateralism."— Vincent Magwenya, Presidency spokesperson; said during remarks on Ramaphosa's state visit to Brazil.

You cannot classify corruption as top secret. We are investigating the corrupt manner in which our institutions have been collapsed.

— Said by Committee member Julius Malema, during discussions on the ad hoc committee investigating corruption in the criminal justice system.

But we do need this structure of the president which will assist to bring resources to bear in provinces and municipalities where there’s a big crisis.

— Paul Mashatile, Deputy President of South Africa, speaking to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) about the Water Crisis Committee

If the opportunity were to open, we would talk and say: there must be a ceasefire. Dialogue is always the best way of ending conflict and then ending the war. And we want this war to come to an end immediately.

— Cyril Ramaphosa said this on the sidelines of an energy conference in Cape Town, according to Newzroom Afrika.

He should be standing here and saying: 'I have my billions, please do not increase my salary, in fact, take my salary and give it to the Marikana widows'.

— Poppy Mailola, EFF, during the National Assembly debate on the salary hike

We must act with others across the globe to ensure that we do not breach the 1.5°C warming above pre-industrial levels,

— Ramaphosa said during the virtual inaugural meeting of the Presidential Climate Commission.

The initiative aims to support and finance artificial intelligence projects in African countries in order to strengthen digital infrastructure, improve government services, and enhance productivity and quality of life for citizens. This reflects a comprehensive development vision that relies on technology as a fundamental driver of growth and supports the use of technology in social development fields.

— Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Development and International Organizations

There is a viable alternative to consider, rather than destroying the lives of millions of South Africans through the NHI. Now is the time for the country's leaders to exercise sober judgement and to consider proposals such as our alternative bill. We urge them to abandon the NHI now, as it is not workable.

— Theuns du Buisson, economic researcher at the Solidarity Research Institute, commenting on the pause in NHI implementation and urging leaders to consider alternatives and abandon the policy.

The scale of risk embedded in that geography will dominate asset pricing.

— Nigel Green, founder and chief executive of deVere Group, said in the BusinessTech article.

We cannot do that without transforming the various aspects of South African life, but more particularly the economy. It cannot be acceptable to anyone in this House for African people, coloured people and Indian people to be poorer and have fewer opportunities than white people.

— Cyril Ramaphosa, addressing Members of Parliament during the Sona reply, in reference to Black Economic Empowerment (BEE)

Mr. President, these are just a few CVs which are covering tasks in our communities, but there are many other millions of CVs of young people who are unemployed in this country.

— Sihle Lonzi, during the State of the Nation Address debate.

It cannot be acceptable to anyone in this house for African people, coloured people and Indian people to be poorer and have fewer opportunities than white people.

— Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, during the State of the Nation Address debate in Parliament

This is the gulf we must close through deliberate and sustained efforts to expand opportunity. Now is not the time to abandon BEE. Now is the time to make it more effective.

— Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, speaking on BBBEE in response to the debate around the State of the Nation Address.