Cape Town: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday declared that his country will "never allow forced removals again" during his State of the Nation Address at the parliament. The president's remarks were made in the context of ongoing discussions about land reform and the crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to Anadolu Agency, President Ramaphosa stressed the importance of addressing land issues internally, emphasizing that South Africa must stand "united as a nation" in the face of global challenges. He highlighted the country's commitment to protecting and upholding the rule of law, ensuring equal worth and opportunity for all citizens.

Ramaphosa also addressed international relations, noting the recent executive order by US President Donald Trump to freeze financial aid to South Africa. The order was in response to South Africa's land expropriation law and its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. The land expropriation legislation seeks to address historical inequalities in land ownership due to colonial and apartheid-era policies.

Furthermore, Ramaphosa welcomed the outcomes of the joint summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) in Tanzania. The summit aimed to facilitate direct dialogue among involved parties, including the M23 rebels, and proposed confidence-building measures for sustainable peace and the eventual withdrawal of SADC troops.