A civil society organisation has pushed back against sharp criticism from the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) over President Cyril Ramaphosa’s official visit to the US, warning that dismissing international diplomacy is politically reckless and economically short-sighted.
On Monday, the Forum for South Africa (Fosa) said the league’s attack on Ramaphosa ignored the realities of global trade and South Africa’s dependence on international partnerships.
Fosa national leader Tebogo Mashilompane said while accountability was important, the ANCYL had misdirected its anger.
“While Fosa firmly believes that political leadership must always be subjected to scrutiny and accountability, we consider the youth league’s criticism, in this instance, to be largely misplaced and politically reckless,” Mashilompane said.
Fosa’s comments come after ANCYL president Collen Malatji accused Ramaphosa of weakness over his engagement with the US and questioned the value of the trip.
Malatji was speaking at the Peter Mokaba Memorial Lecture in Mogwase, North West, on Friday.
Mashilompane rejected claims that the visit was unnecessary, saying it was a legitimate diplomatic engagement with one of South Africa’s key trading partners.
President’s failure to defend SA criticised
“Contrary to the youth league’s claims, President Ramaphosa’s visit to the United States was neither a vanity exercise nor an act of seeking external validation.
“It was a formal diplomatic engagement with one of South Africa’s most significant trading partners,” Mashilompane said.
He said South Africa could not afford to retreat from international engagement, particularly while the economy remained fragile.
“South Africa remains deeply reliant on international trade, foreign investment, and strategic partnerships. To dismiss such engagements outright is to ignore the realities of the global economy.”
However, Fosa stopped short of giving Ramaphosa an unqualified endorsement, criticising the manner in which the engagement was conducted, particularly the president’s interaction with US President Donald Trump.
“The error was not the visit itself, but the failure to unapologetically defend South Africa’s national interests on the global stage,” he said.
He stated that South Africa’s leaders must engage the world “from a position of confidence and strength, not submission”, adding that the country deserved leadership that could stand its ground internationally while protecting national dignity and sovereignty.
