Speeches

Introduction of the President of the Republic of South Africa, HE MC Ramaphosa by the Hon Andries Nel, MP, Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, at an evening function of the Public Protector 30 Year International Conference on Tuesday, 14 October 2025

Programme Director, The President of the Republic of South Africa, the Public Protector and former Public Protectors and Deputy Public Protectors, the Executive Mayor of the City of Cape Town, Members of Parliament, Heads of institutions that support our constitutional democracy, distinguished guests, and international delegates.

I convey the warm greetings and best wishes of Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, who is currently attending the Judicial Service Commission session in Gauteng.

At this celebratory occasion, I ask that we rise—whether in body or in spirit—to recite the Preamble to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa:
“We, the people of South Africa,
Recognise the injustices of our past;
Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land;
Respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and
Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.
We therefore, through our freely elected representatives, adopt this Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic so as to:
Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights;
Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law;
Improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person; and
Build a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.
May God protect our people.
Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika. Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso.
God seën Suid-Afrika. God bless South Africa.
Mudzimu fhatutshedza Afurika. Hosi katekisa Afrika.”

I know that our President is not an Executive Order type of President, but if he should ever decide to issue an Executive Order, I would humbly ask that the first Order should be to make reciting the Preamble to the Constitution compulsory whenever we meet to discuss the affairs of our nation and the world.

This is because it grounds us in our shared purpose and reminds us of the vision that unites us.
Next year we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution on 8 May 1996. On that occasion the President, as Chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly, said:
“People will ask what can be said about this constitution.

This constitution, with its Bill of Rights, is the mirror of South African society.
It reflects both the history from which we have emerged, and the values we now cherish - human dignity, equality and freedom.

It proclaims to the world that we are a society committed to democracy, to the rule of law and the protection of human rights.
It proclaims to all South Africans, the landless, the homeless, the women, the workers and the children of this country, that their basic needs and aspirations matter enough to be included in the country's constitution.

It celebrates the richness of the diversity of cultures, religions and beliefs of South Africans, and affirms that all belong as equals in our one nation.
It commits the State to respecting, protecting, promoting and to fulfilling the rights in the Bill of Rights and acknowledges that it is not enough for the Government simply to refrain from violating people's rights.

It is also necessary for the Government to take positive measures to ensure the full and equal enjoyment of human rights by all South Africans.
Through this constitution, we hope to transform our society from one that is based on injustice and strife to one based on justice and peace.” It is, therefore, most fittin

g—and an enormous honour—to introduce a leader who stands among the foremost architects of our constitutional democracy: President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa.
From his days as a student activist to his leadership in the constitutional negotiations, President Ramaphosa has exemplified a steadfast commitment to justice, equality, and the rule of law.

His journey mirrors the resilience and strategic brilliance that guided South Africa from the darkness of apartheid into the light of democracy. As a young law student, he became active in the South African Students Organisation. His activism led to repeated detentions, yet he remained undeterred.

In the 1980s, as General Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, he led the largest and one of the most militant trade unions in the country, championing workers’ rights and strengthening the liberation movement.
At CODESA, as Secretary General and chief negotiator of the African National Congress, President Ramaphosa steered the fragile negotiations that dismantled apartheid and produced South Africa’s interim Constitution.

His calm demeanour, combined with steely resolve, legal skill, and gift for consensus-building earned him wide respect.
The negotiations led to the adoption of the 34 constitutional principles including Constitutional Principle XXIX providing for the establishment of institutions supporting our Constitutional democracy, including the Public Protector.

President Ramaphosa explained these institutions at the adoption of the Constitution, as follows:
“This constitution also creates a framework for sound and effective government in South Africa.
Co-operation, accountability, responsiveness and openness are entrenched as the principles of government at all levels in South Africa.

To deepen the culture of democracy and human rights in South Africa, the constitution establishes a number of important institutions such as the Public Protector, the Human Rights Commission, the Commission for Gender Equality and also, the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities.
These bodies are charged with the vital task of ensuring that the Government remains committed to the values of this constitution.”

The President, mindful that constitutional democracy is both dependent upon and conductive to economic development and shared prosperity, remarked of good governance and effective government that:
“It is good for investors, and it is also good for the rand.”
This focus on inclusive economic growth, job creation, eliminating poverty and reducing inequality are what, as the saying goes, keep the President awake at night. Unfortunately, this then also keeps his Ministers awake.

As President of the Republic, he continues to uphold the principles enshrined in the Constitution and to ensure that government maintains an unwavering respect and support for the Public Protector and other Chapter 9 institutions.
Even when government has disagreed with certain findings, it has always defended the independence of the Office as essential to maintaining public trust.

This deep commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law is further demonstrated by the historic announcement made by the President on 20 June 2025 at the 30th Anniversary of the opening of the Constitutional Court - committing government to ensure full institutional independence of the Judiciary through a judiciary-led court administration.

From trade-unionist to internationally respected statesman, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s legacy is one of peaceful negotiation, principled leadership, and enduring dedication to justice.
President Nelson Mandela once described him as “one of the most outstanding leaders of the new generation—a man of great ability and integrity.”

His contributions remind us that liberation was not only about ending apartheid but about building a just and inclusive society for generations to come—about realising, in our lifetime, the South Africa envisioned in the Preamble to the Constitution and the Africa that we sing of in the moving words of the AU Anthem:
“O Sons and Daughters of Africa
Flesh of the Sun and Flesh of the Sky
Let us make Africa the Tree of Life
Let us all unite and sing together
To uphold the bonds that frame our destiny
Let us dedicate ourselves to fight together
For lasting peace and justice on earth.”

Please join me in welcoming the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa.