South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed his stance on handling diplomatic tensions privately, refusing to engage in public disputes with Rwandan President Paul Kagame over the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) crisis.
Speaking at the Presidential Golf Challenge in Cape Town on Friday, following his State of the Nation Address (SONA), Ramaphosa emphasized that discussions on sensitive matters should be conducted behind closed doors.
“As head of state, I do not believe in engaging in public arguments with other leaders. Important matters must be addressed through proper diplomatic channels,” he said.
The dispute stems from Ramaphosa’s recent statement blaming the Rwandan Defence Force and the M23 rebel group for the deaths of 14 South African peacekeeping troops in the DRC. Kagame, in response, dismissed the allegations, accusing South Africa of spreading misinformation.