It’s been a year of many wins and many misses for President Cyril Ramaphosa.
He received plaudits for standing up to the White House “bullies” to hosting a successful G20 Leaders’ Summit.
Even political nemesis Julius Malema gave Ramaphosa his flowers recently, applauding him for the country’s response to US President Donald Trump’s hostility towards South Africa.
“Ramaphosa handled this saga very well. If it were me, it would have been worse. You see, that’s the thing with diplomacy and radicalism and all of that. You ought to strike a balance,” Malema said during an EFF media briefing in December.
“The guy handled that thing very well, very successfully, in a situation where he was confronted by serious hostility. It’s not easy to fight America. It has never been easy.”
However, just as there were winning moments, there have also been moments that caught Ramaphosa off guard or left him surprised.
Here are some of the top moment from 2025 that best represent his year of “shock”.
He didn’t say it in so many words, but those who watched Ramaphosa’s meeting with Trump at the Oval Office in Washington would agree that the South African counterpart was somewhat shocked.
The country expected Trump to bring up the so-called white genocide and South Africa’s land reform policy, but it’s safe to say no one saw those exact theatrics coming.
“Turn the lights down,” Trump instructed an aide during the meeting in May, in the presence of reporters.
This was followed by a video clip of EFF leader Julius Malema chanting “Kill the boer” – a contentious struggle chant.
It’s safe to say Ramaphosa was visibly surprised.
He later spoke about the moment during his keynote address at the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium, held at the Century City Convention Centre in Cape Town.
“Because at that moment, we were seated very nicely, and I was beginning to get into a groove of you know interacting with this man, and I suddenly hear him say ‘dim the lights’ [Ramaphosa laughs]. I must say a number of people have said, ‘this was an ambush,’” Ramaphosa said.
Author: Mpheza Clara Manda
Luska, Zambia
Senior Correspondent
