Pretoria – President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga as acting president while both he and Deputy President Paul Mashatile are abroad.
According to the Presidency, the appointment aligns with section 90(1) of the Constitution, which allows delegation of presidential duties when both top leaders are unavailable.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Angie Motshekga, to serve as Acting President of the Republic of South Africa during the concurrent absence from the country of both the President and the Deputy President.
PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA APPOINTS MINISTER MOTSHEKGA AS ACTING PRESIDENT
President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Angie Motshekga, to serve as Acting President of the Republic of South Africa during the concurrent absence from the… pic.twitter.com/rNdZ3CdjEu
— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) October 8, 2025
“The appointment is made in accordance with Section 90(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, which provides for the delegation of Presidential authority when both the President and the Deputy President are unable to fulfil the duties of the office,” the presidency said in a statement.
Ramaphosa is on an official visit to Ireland before attending the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, while Mashatile is in South Sudan as a special envoy to meet with President Salva Kiir and other stakeholders to advance peace and stability efforts in the country.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
