For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomolekae.

Making headlines: Mixed reactions to Ramaphosa’s SoNA; AfriForum blames ANC for tensions with US; And, flags will fly at half-mast for fallen S African soldiers in DRC

Mixed reactions to Ramaphosa’s SoNA

Opposition parties have expressed mixed reactions to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address, with the GOOD Party praising Ramaphosa’s steady and diplomatic tone in the face of US provocation.

Ramaphosa delivered his SoNA last night, where he highlighted that South Africans would not be bullied, as the country deals with tension with the US.

GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron said Ramaphosa’s plan to send delegations to engage world leaders to dispel the false narratives is a positive and proactive step.

He said Ramaphosa’s steadfast references to the values of compassion, empathy and humanity were an excellent start.

Herron added that Ramaphosa was correct that South Africa has lessons to teach the world about cooperative problem-solving and nation building.

AfriForum blames ANC for tensions with US

Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel today gave feedback on what the organisation describes as the African National Congress’s “reckless actions and policies”, and which it believes were the catalysts for US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal of aid to South Africa.

AfriForum has been called out by government and other organisations for creating misinformation, particularly around the recently assented Expropriation Act, that resulted in claims from Trump that South Africa is confiscating land, and "treating certain classes of people very badly".

AfriForum has been on a campaign, with delegations to the US, to raise “awareness” on land expropriation without compensation and farm murders.

The lobby group believes the nil compensation clause in the Expropriation Act needs to be amended.

While Trump made claims of land confiscations in South Africa, Kriel clarified that at the moment there were no large scale confiscations of land in the country, but rather claimed that there were large scale land grabs underway.

He said the “real problem” was that the Expropriation Act allowed for the “disrespect” of property rights, while pointing to South Africa’s foreign policy, which he said played into Trump’s statement.

And, flags will fly at half-mast for fallen S African soldiers in DRC

Spokesperson to the President Vincent Magwenya reiterated Cyril Ramaphosa’s directive made during the State of the Nation Address that the national flag be flown at half-mast at all flag stations for seven days, in honour of the soldiers who lost their lives in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The South African forces were part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC, deployed in December.

During yesterday evening’s SoNA, Ramaphosa read out the names of the 14 fallen soldiers and said flags would fly at half-mast from Friday.

Criticisms have been made over the adequacy of support for the soldiers, with the Democratic Alliance preparing to use an upcoming debate in Parliament to demand answers on why South African National Defence Force members remain in armed conflict in eastern DRC.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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