'We want this madness to come to an end' - South Africa sends message to Trump
President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged an immediate ceasefire in the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, saying South Africa wants the war to end through dialogue and would raise that message with US President Donald Trump if an opportunity arises.
“We have issued a clear statement that we want a ceasefire, we want this madness to come to an end,” Ramaphosa said, adding that dialogue remained “always the best way of ending conflict”.
Ramaphosa said South Africa stood ready to support international efforts to resolve global crises. “We are a global citizen and we therefore can play whatever role the UN would like us to play,” he said. “And if a gap opens or if we are asked, we always live up to obligations.”
Asked whether he would engage Trump, Ramaphosa said the US president was currently preoccupied by the conflict. “Donald Trump is very busy right now. He’s got a war on his hands, and obviously, if the opportunity were to open, we would talk and say there must be a ceasefire,” he said.
Ramaphosa also said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) was working to identify South Africans stranded in the Middle East as airspace closures disrupt travel.
“Dirco is on the ground, working a lot in trying to identify the number of people who are in the Middle East who require help, and we are going to make an effort to bring them back home,” he said. “It will definitely require periods when the airspaces are open for safe travel.”
His remarks come as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue to rise, with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards saying Iranian forces had “complete control” of the key shipping route for global oil and gas supplies. Trump said the US Navy was ready to escort oil tankers through the corridor, as several global shipping firms reroute cargo around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid risk.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
