PRETORIA - Energy Minister Jeff Radebe is acting president of South Africa, in the absence of President Cyril Ramaphosa and his deputy David Mabuza who are on separate working visits, the Presidency said on Monday.
"The Minister of Energy Jeff Radebe, has been appointed the acting president of the Republic of South Africa until President Cyril Ramaphosa returns from his working visit to the Republic of Mozambique," Ramaphosa's spokesperson Khusela Diko said in a statement.
"President Ramaphosa has arrived in Maputo, in the Republic of Mozambique, where he will meet his counterpart President Filipe Nyusi to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual concern. The President, who is accompanied by the ministers of defence, police and state security, is expected [to head back] to South Africa this afternoon [on Monday]."
Mabuza has travelled to Ethiopia, in his capacity as Special Envoy to South Sudan, "to strengthen the ongoing political efforts towards finding lasting peace and development for the people of South Sudan".
Last month, Mabuza held various bilateral political consultations with heads of state and governments from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on the implementation of a peace agreement for South Sudan.
The Presidency said Mabuza had visited Uganda, Kenya and Sudan "where all leaders and other relevant stakeholders have expressed urgent need for a full implementation of the peace agreement".
It said the deputy president would in Addis Ababa meet Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali in his capacity as the chairperson of IGAD "to push for full implementation of the revitalised peace agreement on South Sudan".