Presidency on President Cyril Ramaphosa's upcoming programme

Good morning and welcome to all the media representatives who have joined us in Cape Town and online, for our first Presidency media briefing in the year 2025. We will be discussing the President’s public engagement programme of the President for the period up to the end of February.

06 February 2025 - State of the Nation Address
President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on Thursday, 6 February 2025 at 7pm. The address will take place before a joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament.

The 2025 SoNA is the first of the 7th Administration and will be held under the theme: “A nation that works, for all.”  This address holds added significance as it occurs during the commemoration of 30 Years of Freedom and Democracy, and it coincides with South Africa’s Presidency of G20.

The annual address gives us an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come as a nation and recommits us to working together to build the country we envisioned at the start of our democracy.

In the address, the President will outline the task of the government of national unity in implementing the three strategic priorities of the Medium-Term Development Plan, namely, driving inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living and building a capable, ethical and developmental state.

07 February 2025 - Presidential Golf Challenge
On Friday, 07 February, the President will tee up alongside a diverse stakeholder grouping to raise funds for charities during the annual Presidential Golf Challenge (PGC) which will be held at the Atlantic Beach Golf Estate, Melkbosstrand.

The PGC is held every year following the State of the Nation Address (SONA) and is hosted by the Ministry of Public Service and Administration in partnership with the private sector as part of the activities around SONA.

The Challenge raises funds for charities designated by the sitting President and provides an opportunity for networking between government and private sector.  

The proceeds will be donated to the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, which will in turn distribute funds to deserving charities to improve education and promote skills development in the communities across the country.

The President is honoured to partner with an 11-year-old Golfer Shalom Madlala from Malelane in the Mpumalanga province. Shalom is a provincial player in the South African Golf Development Board’s (SAGDB) program.

The tee off is set to take place at 09h00 and media pool arrangement is in place for this occasion.

08 February 2025 - President Ramaphosa to participate at the joint SADC – EAC Heads of State and Government Summit on the DRC
President Cyril Ramaphosa will embark on a working visit to Dar Es Salaam in the United Republic of Tanzania on Saturday, 08 February 2025, to participate at the joint Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) – East Africa Community (EAC) Heads of State and Government Summit on the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Heads of States and Government of SADC and East African Community agreed to meet urgently following their respective extraordinary Summits held last month to deliberate on the way forward regarding the security situation in the DRC.

The joint SADC – EAC Summit will be preceded by Senior Officials and Foreign Ministers Meetings taking place on 06 and 07 February 2025.

The Extraordinary SADC Summit held last month mandated the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, to engage all state and non-state parties to the conflict on a ceasefire process to protect lives and facilitate a smooth flow of humanitarian support to people and communities affected by the armed conflict.

It also urged Political and Diplomatic leaders who are parties to the conflict to engage in a coordinated effort of dialogue, including supporting the Luanda Process, MONUSCO and others, to restore peace and security in Eastern DRC.

13 February 2025 - SONA Debate Reply
President Ramaphosa will deliver his reply to the State of the Nation debate on 13 February 2025. The President looks forward to a constructive and substantively enriching debate that will follow his SONA address. 

15-16 February 2025 - 38th AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
President Ramaphosa to lead the South African Delegation to the 38th AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead the South African Delegation to the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the AU, which is taking place on 15 and 16 February 2025 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He will be accompanied by several Ministers and Senior Officials.

The Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU will be held under the theme, “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations”. It will review and assess what has been achieved in Africa’s efforts towards the attainment of long overdue justice and reparations after decades of colonialism and apartheid.

The Assembly is taking place two months after South Africa assumed its Presidency of the G20 in 2025. The Summit will be a unique opportunity for President Ramaphosa to brief his counterparts on the key priorities of South Africa’s G20 Presidency and their alignment to Agenda 2063. The High-level meeting on the G20 will take place on 15 February 2025, on the margins of the Summit.

One of the main objectives of the forthcoming Assembly is to elect the new Senior Leadership of the AU Commission, Chairperson and a Deputy Chairperson of the Commission. There are three candidates vying for the Chairperson position, while four candidates are contesting the Deputy Chairperson position. It will also appoint the six Commissioners following the endorsement by the Executive Council.

The Summit is expected to discuss the status of Peace and Security on the continent. The discussion on Peace and Security on the Continent will take place against the backdrop of great concerns regarding the state of peace and security on the continent including the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The discussions on the peace and security situation in Sudan and South Sudan will also feature prominently during the Summit.

The President, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee on South Sudan, also known as the C-5, will convene an extended meeting on South Sudan to include key countries in the Eastern Region such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. The current President of South Sudan, President Silva Kiir will also be in attendance.

South Africa will participate in the exchange of views on issues such as AUDA-NEPAD, APRM and Climate Change on the margins of the AU Summit. There will also be a review and assessment of the implementation of the AfCFTA as a critical flagship project of Agenda 2063.

20 February 2025 - G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting
President Ramaphosa will on Thursday, 20 February 2026, host the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting at the NASREC EXPO Centre, Gauteng. Among other issues for discussion will be the current geopolitical dynamics as well as the President reflection on South Africa’s G20 Presidency High –Level Deliverables and the Review of the G20@20. South Africa’s G20 Presidency commenced on 1 December 2024 under the theme: “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.”

27 February 2025 - Basic Education Sector Lekgotla
President Ramaphosa will deliver a keynote address on 27 February 2025 at the Basic Education Lekgotla. The Department of Basic Education will host the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre, Johannesburg. The theme of the 2025 Lekgotla is “Strengthening foundations for Learning for a resilient future-fit education system”.

Media enquiries:
Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President 
Email: media@presidency.gov.za

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