All articles tagged with #ramaphosa
South Africa said 11 of a group of 17 men lured to fight for Russia in Ukraine are set to return home, with two remaining in Russia (one in a Moscow hospital). Ramaphosa raised their fate in a call with Putin as reports grow of African recruits being lured into Russia’s war effort. Under South African law, citizens are prohibited from joining foreign armies without authorization.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa thanked Vladimir Putin after the SA government helped secure the return of 17 South Africans who allegedly joined mercenary forces in the Russia-Ukraine war; four have returned, 11 more are on their way home and two remain to be processed or are in transit; Ramaphosa spoke to Putin on February 10 and said the gesture would facilitate their repatriation, with SA’s embassy in Moscow continuing to monitor the one person still in hospital as recruitment investigations proceed; it is illegal in South Africa to fight as a mercenary without government authorization.
South Africa expelled Ariel Seidman, Israel's deputy ambassador in Pretoria, within 72 hours for insulting President Cyril Ramaphosa on Israeli social-media posts and violating diplomatic norms, declaring him persona non grata; Israel retaliated by expelling a South African diplomat, as tensions over Gaza and related legal actions continue to strain ties.
South Africa ordered Ariel Seidman, the Israeli chargé d’affaires, to leave within 72 hours after accusing him of undermining relations with insulting social-media posts about President Cyril Ramaphosa and breaching diplomatic norms. In response, Israel expelled a senior South African diplomat, signaling a tit-for-tat move as tensions between the two countries remain high amid broader disputes over Gaza and the ICJ case.
South Africa declared Ariel Seidman, the Israeli embassy’s chargé d’affaires, persona non grata and ordered him to leave within 72 hours after accusing him of violating diplomatic norms—attacking President Cyril Ramaphosa on official channels and inviting Israeli officials without SA permission—as ties between the two countries remain strained following SA’s genocide claim at the ICJ; Israel currently has no ambassador in Pretoria.