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This stance irritated the authorities in Pretoria, who reacted nervously, highlighting internal fault lines, particularly on an issue where the country, led by Cyril Ramaphosa, appears increasingly isolated.
Former South African President Jacob Zuma, now head of the opposition Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, visited Morocco on July 15, 2025, to meet with officials, including Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.During this visit, Zuma openly expressed his support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara. This stance irritated the authorities in Pretoria, who reacted nervously, highlighting internal fault lines, particularly on an issue where the country, led by Cyril Ramaphosa, appears increasingly isolated.
Jacob Zuma’s statement in support of Morocco’s proposed autonomy plan for the Sahara had a particularly notable impact, as it unsettled South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). Rather than addressing the substance of the declaration, DIRCO chose to divert attention to a secondary issue: the use of national symbols, particularly the South African flag, during the meeting between Mr. Zuma and the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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According to sources close to the matter, the visit was well prepared with the assistance of the respective diplomatic missions of the two countries.