Cyril Ramaphosa Accuses AfriForum of Undermining South Africa's Democracy Amid Rising Tensions
- ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa accused AfriForum and Solidarity of destabilising South Africa's democracy
- Ramaphosa linked the false narratives of 'white genocide' to political manipulation and international racism
- The ANC president called for a united front to protect democratic institutions and advance citizens' rights in South Africa
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Twitter
RUSTENBURG, NORTH WEST - ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has accused AfriForum and Solidarity of pursuing a strategy aimed at destabilising the state and pushing South Africa towards regime change.
Pushing South Africa towards regime change
Speaking during the delivery of the ANC’s annual January 8 statement at Moruleng Stadium in the North West, on Saturday, 10 January 2026, Ramaphosa said a small but influential minority was attempting to undermine the Constitution and undo the progress made since the advent of democracy. He linked this to what he described as the deliberate spread of false claims about a so-called “white genocide” in South Africa.
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Ramaphosa did not name the organisations directly; he referred to a “vocal minority”, remarks that followed earlier comments by ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, who explicitly mentioned AfriForum and Solidarity in the lead-up to the event.
Ramaphosa said these groups had sought international backing by appealing to global racist movements, adding that the “white genocide” narrative had contributed to strained relations between South Africa and the United States under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Efforts to reverse democratic gains
He warned that efforts to reverse democratic gains were becoming more explicit, describing them as part of a broader agenda driven by anti-transformation forces and their international allies. Addressing thousands of ANC supporters, Ramaphosa said such groups were actively working to weaken the state.
According to him, these efforts included funding and forming political parties intended to divide progressive forces, promoting regime-change narratives, establishing parallel structures and encouraging secessionist tendencies.
Source: Getty Images
Protecting democratic institutions
Ramaphosa said the current political climate required a firm response, calling for the formation of a broad united front to defend South Africa’s constitutional democracy, sovereignty and the national democratic project.
He said this defence must include protecting democratic institutions, ensuring they serve all citizens, and advancing the rights of workers, informal traders, small businesses, farmers and the middle class. Ramaphosa also stressed the need to accelerate the delivery of basic services, including housing, education, healthcare, electricity, water, sanitation, social security, transport infrastructure and broadband access.
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Source: Briefly News
