South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has temporarily suspended his public engagements on health grounds, following advice from his medical team, his office announced on Wednesday, 16 September.
Ramaphosa, 73, returned to South Africa on Monday after attending the BRICS leaders summit held in India. The Presidency said doctors recommended that the head of state rest and recuperate.
The presidential office did not specify how long Ramaphosa would remain away from his public duties. In the interim, the president has asked cabinet ministers to represent him, where possible, at official events already on the schedule.
South African Vice-President Paul Mashatile is also resting on medical advice after undergoing a medical procedure.
In Ramaphosa's absence, Foreign Affairs Minister Ronald Lamola will lead the South African delegation to the United Nations General Assembly, according to the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
Lamola's participation in the General Assembly comes amid renewed diplomatic tensions between Pretoria and Washington.
The United States recently announced visa restrictions on certain South African nationals, citing alleged involvement in racially discriminatory policies. The South African government contested the decision, accusing Washington of misrepresenting its domestic policies.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has also claimed that South Africa's white Afrikaner minority is subject to persecution. Pretoria rejects those allegations, stating there is no evidence of systematic discrimination against white citizens.
The South African government maintains its right to implement policies aimed at addressing the consequences of centuries of racial inequality and injustice in the country.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/09/17/mundo/africa/africa-do-sul-ramaphosa-suspende-compromissos-publicos-por-motivos-de-saude/
