Julius Malema Praises Cyril Ramaphosa’s SADC Address, EFF Leader Backs Call for African Unity

• Julius Malema broke from his usual opposition stance to publicly back President Cyril Ramaphosa's address at a summit in Durban
• The Economic Freedom Fighters leader weighed in on Ramaphosa's speech at the 46th Southern African Development Community Summit
• The video of Malema's comments sparked mixed reactions online, with some users questioning Malema's motives

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

KWAZULU-NATAL - Julius Malema has praised President Cyril Ramaphosa's public lecture delivered in Durban ahead of the 46th Southern African Development Community Summit.

Speaking to the media, Malema called it very strategic. He made the comments after Ramaphosa delivered the speech at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) on 14 August 2026.

Malema backs Ramaphosa on unity and prosperity

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When asked about his thoughts on the matter, Malema described the speech as one that spoke about economic prosperity in the SADC, and one that spoke about the region coming together.

He credited the choice of Durban as the summit venue for making the message of pan-African solidarity more meaningful, connecting it directly to allegations of Afrophobia and xenophobia made against South Africa.

"The choosing of the venue has actually attracted me because that's where we need to preach a message of Africanness, of oneness, of unity for us to prosper," Malema said.

He added that achieving the SADC 2050 vision would be impossible without shared purpose among member states. The remarks drew attention precisely because Malema, a long-standing and vocal critic of Ramaphosa, was seen aligning with the president's position on regional integration.

How did South Africans react?

The video prompted a sharp debate on social media, with many users questioning Malema's motivations or challenging the broader message on migration.

@Squirrel1980021 wrote:

"Sucking up to Ramadollar is very suspicious."

@FaceLessMan_X argued:

"Cyril Ramaphosa spoke of many beautiful things, but trust Juju to keep reminding us why we hate EFF and why it should not be voted for. Us loving each other and working together doesn't mean South Africa should host undocumented criminals."

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@MCc59189701 said:

"We are all for African unity, but if that means allowing everyone to come to South Africa, then that’s nonsense."

@Declarationb4 offered a contrasting view:

"We will be united whether they like it or not. More young people are educated, and they know the goodness that will come with a united SADC."

Source: Briefly News