Cyril Ramaphosa cancels state address to visit site of Joburg fire
31 August 2023 - 16:52
UPDATED 31 August 2023 - 17:40
byAmanda Khoza
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday cancelled his scheduled address to the nation to visit the Joburg CBD where 74 people died after the building they lived in was ravaged by fire.
About 50 people were injured in the blaze.
Ramaphosa’s office said: “In view of the fire disaster in Johannesburg, President Cyril Ramaphosa has cancelled his address to the nation.
“The president will this afternoon conduct a site visit to Marshalltown to receive a briefing on the emergency and recovery operations and on the support the government is providing to the affected families.”
The cancelled address was meant to be on the outcomes of the Brics summit and the panel investigation into the docking of the Lady R at Simon’s Town naval base.
The summit, at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg last week, was attended by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, China’s Xi Jinping and India’s Narendra Modi. Russian President Vladimir Putin attended virtually.
Ramaphosa set up an inquiry toinvestigate whether arms were loaded onto the Russian ship Lady R in Simon’s Town in December. The probe came after US ambassador Reuben Brigety accused SA of arming Russia.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Cyril Ramaphosa cancels state address to visit site of Joburg fire
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday cancelled his scheduled address to the nation to visit the Joburg CBD where 74 people died after the building they lived in was ravaged by fire.
About 50 people were injured in the blaze.
Ramaphosa’s office said: “In view of the fire disaster in Johannesburg, President Cyril Ramaphosa has cancelled his address to the nation.
“The president will this afternoon conduct a site visit to Marshalltown to receive a briefing on the emergency and recovery operations and on the support the government is providing to the affected families.”
The cancelled address was meant to be on the outcomes of the Brics summit and the panel investigation into the docking of the Lady R at Simon’s Town naval base.
The summit, at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg last week, was attended by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, China’s Xi Jinping and India’s Narendra Modi. Russian President Vladimir Putin attended virtually.
Ramaphosa set up an inquiry to investigate whether arms were loaded onto the Russian ship Lady R in Simon’s Town in December. The probe came after US ambassador Reuben Brigety accused SA of arming Russia.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Related Articles
KHAYA SITHOLE: Ramaphosa faces a sterner test after Brics euphoria
EDITORIAL: The Lady R bugbear
Cyril Ramaphosa is going through Lady R report, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says
No decision yet on action against US ambassador over Lady R
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.