(UN)DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS: Ramaphosa found his voice abroad, but he lost it at home

{JSON.stringify(article.attachments[0], null, 2)} --> In a time of need, and with ill winds blowing from the US, South Africa’s President got a sick note and took a leave of absence. But his most recent words seem to indicate he’s in a fighting mood.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has a cold. It’s why he hasn’t been out in public to give one of his solemn and well-intentioned but largely toothless addresses about the spate of murders in Ekurhuleni, which are linked to gender-based violence. It’s also believed to be one of the reasons why he will not be part of the South African contingent attending the 81st session of the UN General Assembly’s general debate week, which starts on 22 September.

Even his deputy, Paul Mashatile, is afflicted by some condition and unable to travel. To be fair, the last time Daily Maverick interacted with the deputy president in person (at the Chery plant launch in July), he looked to be in good spirits, but also as if he was carrying a lot on his shoulders.

Whether they would have been allowed into the US after this week’s escalation in diplomatic tensions with the country is another matter altogether.

The founding provisions of the Constitution states that South Africa is one, sovereign, democratic state founded on the following values: a) Human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms; b) Non-racialism and non-sexism; c) Supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law; and d) Universal adult suffrage, a national common voters roll, regular elections and a multiparty system of democratic government to ensure accountability, responsiveness and openness.

So, the shock South Africans experienced on the morning of Wednesday, 16 September should come as no surprise. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced targeted visa restrictions aimed at South African officials and individuals alleged to be complicit in “race-based discrimination and uncompensated land seizures”.

But, behind the stated human rights concerns, there’s a tale of macroeconomic ­strategic manoeuvring and an attempt at low-key subversion of South Africa’s sovereign ­democratic processes.

Most of the smoke being sent towards SA is because it plays a leading role in the BRICS+ expansion and de-dollarisation (read: Ramaphosa boasted about using India’s local currency payment systems). Secondary to that is South Africa’s non-aligned foreign policy regarding Russia and Ukraine, and its legal action at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.

But some of the shots fired came from its own citizens and self-styled patriots.