Ramaphosa is undertaking a three-nation visit to South East Asia.
South Africa has a new president, albeit for a temporary period until President Cyril Ramaphosa returns from an overseas working visit.
Ramaphosa has appointed Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana as Acting President from Tuesday, 21 October, until 27 October 2025.
Appointment
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the president made this appointment in view of consecutive international visits he is undertaking.
“Deputy President Shipokosa Paul Mashatile will be on leave during this period. President Ramaphosa travels to Indonesia today for a Working Visit on 22 October. This will be followed by a State Visit to Vietnam on 23 and 24 October.
“Thereafter, President Ramaphosa will undertake a State Visit to Malaysia from 24 to 27 October, during which the President will also participate in a Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations,” Magwenya said.
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Ramaphosa’s visits
From 29 to 30 October, Ramaphosa will undertake a State Visit to Switzerland.
Magwenya said Ramaphosa’s visits will advance South Africa’s bilateral relations with the respective host countries, particularly in trade and investment.
“The visits will also enable South Africa to strengthen cooperation with partner states in global forums, and contribute to the President’s preparations for his chairing of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg on 22 and 23 November 2025.”
Indonesia
Ramaphosa commenced his Southeast Asia schedule in Indonesia with a state visit at the invitation of President Prabowo Subianto.
He arrived at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Magwenya said Ramaphosa will observe the Welcome Ceremony at the Merdeka Presidential Palace in Jakarta. The two leaders will hold a tête-à-tête, priming the subsequent official bilateral talks with respective ministerial delegations in support.
“He will deliver opening remarks at the bilateral talks to encapsulate relations with Indonesia and further strengthen cooperation in areas of trade, agriculture, tourism and defence. This engagement aims to diversify trade in the face of global dynamics.
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Business forum
Ramaphosa will then join President Prabowo Subianto for a joint media briefing following official bilateral talks.
“The state visit will be preceded by an SA-Indonesia Business Forum. Indonesia is the third largest trading partner of South Africa in the Southeast Asia region,” Magwenya said.
“President Ramaphosa will, on the margins of the state visit, connect with leading Indonesian business leaders to expand trade and investment.”
Mangwenya said both countries continue playing leading roles in developing and enhancing South-South Cooperation and remain its locomotives. Contemporarily, they are member states of the BRICS.
SA-Indonesia relationship
SA-Indonesia relations go back more than 350 years, when the first people of Indonesian descent arrived in the Cape in the mid-1600s.
Starting with the Bandung Conference of 1955, Indonesia became one of the fiercest critics of apartheid and supported the anti-apartheid struggle throughout.
Formal diplomatic relations between Indonesia and SA were established in 1994
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