South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, expressed concerns after the home affairs minister of the government of national unity announced the visa-free travel agreement with Ukraine.
“The president is yet to sign the minute authorizing the minister to sign the agreement with Ukraine. It is unclear how the minister can announce the signature of an international agreement without prior formal authorization to do so,” he said.
Schreiber’s announcement on social media framed the agreement as a significant step in South Africa-Ukraine relations.
“I am honored to announce that, in my capacity as Minister of Home Affairs representing the Republic of South Africa, I have signed an historic agreement granting visa-free access to our country for Ukrainian holders of diplomatic, official, and service passports—and vice versa,” he wrote.
Schreiber also underscored the historical solidarity between the two nations, noting that Ukraine has been “a valued ally, as a valued friend, who supported us right from the beginning, from the days of our struggle against apartheid, right through to now.”
This sparked a flurry of debate among internet users in the comments section, with some questioning whether Ukraine had ever backed South Africa.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), Schreiber’s party, has fully backed the minister’s initiative, viewing it as a much-needed diplomatic alignment with Ukraine. In a statement, DA MP Ryan Smith welcomed the announcement, calling it “a poignant show of solidarity by South Africa with the people of Ukraine, an Eastern European country which served as a haven for many anti-apartheid activists during the struggle.”
Smith emphasized that granting visa-free access to Ukrainian diplomats is a "long-overdue" recognition of the country’s "support for South Africa’s anti-apartheid efforts."
Meanwhile, South Africa’s International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Ronald Lamola, clarified that while the visa waiver is progressing, it has not yet been formally concluded.
“Once those processes have been concluded, the agreement will then be concluded, which will enable our diplomats and services and official passports to be able to travel between the two countries seamlessly,” Lamola noted.
South Africa has maintained a non-aligned position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, balancing its longstanding ties with Russia and its diplomatic engagement with Ukraine. In a statement issued last Sunday, the presidency reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to non-alignment, asserting that “it is through the policy of non-alignment that South Africa has been able to constructively engage with both Russia and Ukraine.” Moreover, President Ramaphosa once again emphasized peaceful dialogue as a priority.
Last week, South African President Ramaphosa addressed criticisms from John Steenhuisen, leader of the DA party in the national unity government, who argued that Pretoria should not maintain allied relations with Moscow. In his response, Ramaphosa emphasized that Russia is a cherished ally and "best friend," having supported South Africa from the very beginning.