Daily Archives: September 14, 2026

‘We must use our BRICS membership to improve the lives of our people’

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Picture: RSA president, Cyril Ramaphosa

By REGINALD KANYANE

14 September 2026 – The Republic of South Africa (RSA) president, Cyril Ramaphosa said over this past weekend, they were in New Delhi, India for the 18th BRICS Summit, an event that cemented the pivotal role of the group in building a more inclusive global economy and world order. Ramaphosa said at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg in 2023, it was decided to expand the group beyond Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

He further said in addition to these five countries, BRICS now includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Ramaphosa added that together, these countries account for around half of the world’s population and around a quarter of global trade.

“For South Africa, BRICS is an important platform for building political and economic ties that benefit our country and people. Through BRICS, we can help to build a fairer multilateral world order governed by international law with the United Nations at its centre.

“Through our BRICS membership, we have deepened practical cooperation in fields such as science and technology, research, education and skills development. We have led people-to-people exchange through bodies like the BRICS Youth Council, BRICS Think Tanks Council, the BRICS Network University and others,” he said.

Ramaphosa said while BRICS Summits may seem far removed from the daily lives of South Africans, the country gains a lot from its membership of the group. He said it is an important forum for investment and trade.

“More than a fifth of South Africa’s trade is with BRICS countries. As a shareholder in the New Development Bank – also known as the BRICS Bank – South Africa has been able to access development finance to support major energy, water and transportation infrastructure investments.

“Through the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement, South Africa is able to access a pool of $100 billion in currency reserves in the case of a liquidity crisis. We also benefit from BRICS cooperation across areas such as health, science, agriculture and skills development,” said Ramaphosa.

He said cooperation between BRICS countries extends beyond government. Ramaphosa said a number of sectors of society participate in BRICS activities, most notably the private sector.

“While in New Delhi, we took part in the BRICS Business Forum, where heads of state, ministers and business leaders discussed how to deepen trade and investment between our countries. We used the opportunity of being in India to strengthen links between South African and Indian business.

“We already have strong ties. India is South Africa’s fourth largest trading partner. More than 150 Indian companies have invested over $10 billion in our country, creating employment for over 18 000 South Africans. A number of leading South African firms like Naspers, FirstRand Bank, Sanlam and Momentum also have significant investments in India,” he said.

Ramaphosa said building on these links, they convened the South Africa-India CEOs Roundtable with leaders from some of India’s leading firms and a number of South African companies. He said they also held a number of meetings with individual Indian companies that either want to expand existing interests in South Africa or explore new opportunities.

“The Indian companies commended South Africa for the structural transformation that is underway in the energy, logistics, telecommunications and water sectors, and the reforms being undertaken in visas, public digital infrastructure and other areas.

“We highlighted various opportunities for investment and partnership in areas such as green industrialisation, critical minerals and beneficiation, infrastructure, agriculture and the digital economy. South Africa and India have complementary resources and capabilities that when combined can create great value for both countries,” said Ramaphosa.

He said for example, India’s strengths in pharmaceuticals and health technology can support their ambition to expand the local production of medicines and vaccines. Ramaphosa said it has capabilities in information technology, financial technology and digital public infrastructure that can support the modernisation of our own systems and services.

“Our endowment of critical minerals can feed India’s fast-growing renewable energy, battery and automotive value chains, while ensuring that more of the processing of these minerals happens on South African soil.

“To turn this potential into practical partnerships, we are keen to restore direct flights between South Africa and India. We also need closer working relationships between our business chambers. Looking ahead, our priority as South Africa is to continue to use our membership of BRICS to deepen bilateral cooperation and expand trade and investment ties,” he said.

Ramaphosa said through BRICS, they will continue to add their voice to the growing call from the Global South for an inclusive world order rooted in mutual respect and shared prosperity. He said they will continue to use their membership of BRICS to develop the economy and improve the lives of their people.

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DA e amogela go tshwarwa gape ga motshabi wa Rooigrond

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Ka OBAKENG MAJE

14 Lwetse 2026 – Lekoko la sepolotiki la Democratic Alliance (DA) mono Bokone Bophirima, le amogetse go tshwarwa gape ka bonako ga ga Edward Khomotso Madiba, yo o neng a tshaba kwa kgolegelo ya Rooigrond kwa Mahikeng. Lekoko la DA la re le batla dikarabo mabapi le go tshaba ga ga Madiba kwa kgolegelo e e sireletsegileng.

Moeteledipele wa DA mono Bokone Bophirima, Freddy Sonakile yo gape e leng leloko la Kwokwanotheo-molao, o lebogile setlhopa sa babatlisise sa bosetshaba, ditheo tsa tiragatso ya molao le botlhe ba ba nnileng le seabe mo go netefatseng gore Madiba o busediwa kwa kgolegelong.

“Re itumetse thata gore Madiba a tshwarwe gape pele ga mongwe a ka gobadiwa. Le fa go ntse jalo, go tshwarwa ga gagwe gape ga go fedise kgang. Jaaka DA, re tla leta diphitlhelelo tsa dipatlisiso tsa Lefapha la Kgopololo mabapi le maemo a a dikologileng go tshaba ga gagwe.

“Gape, re tla tswelela ka loeto la go netefatsa fa batshwarwa bas a ngwege kwa setheong sa kgopololo ya batshwarwa kwa Rooigrond. Tiragalo eno, e ka nna sesupo sa mathata a a anameng a a amanang le mafaratlhatlha a lefelo leo, ditsamaiso tsa pabalesego le botsamaisi,” Sonakile wa tlhalosa.

Sonakile are tiragalo eno e ka nna ya bontsha dikgwetlho tse di fetang mo go badiri ka bongwe fela, mme di akaretsa mafaratlhatlha, ditsamaiso tsa pabalesego, botsamaisi le seemo ka kakaretso sa lefelo leo. Sonakile are loeto lwa DA lwa tlhokomelo le botlhokwa segolo jang ka ntlha ya diphitlhelelo tsa sesheng tsa South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) tse di amanang le maemo le go dira ga mafelo a dikgolegelo mono Bokone Bophirima.

“Setšhaba se tshwanetswe ke go fiwa tlhaloso e e tletseng ya se se diragetseng le gore a go ne go na le diphoso tsa tsamaiso tse di nnileng le seabe mo go tshabeng ga ga Madiba. Setšhaba se tlhoka go itse go feta fela gore motshabi o tshwerwe gape. Se tlhoka dikarabo tsa gore go tlile jang gore a kgone go tshaba, gore ke mang yo o ikarabelang, gore a go ne go na le diphoso tsa tsamaiso, le gore go dirwa eng go netefatsa gore seno ga se kitla se diragala gape.

“Re tlile go dirisa maikarabelo a rona a tlhokomelo go bona gore dintlha tsotlhe di a tlhomamisiwa le gore diphoso di rarabololwa ka tshwanelo. Madiba o boetse mo kgolegelong. Jaanong dipotso tse di mabapi le Rooigrond di tshwanetse go arabiwa,” Sonakile o buile jalo.

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Setshwantsho: Motshabi wa kwa setheong sa kgopololo sa Rooigrond, Edward Khomotso Madiba