Ramaphosa not going to ‘play in mud with’ Kagame

Kagame last week on social media said Rwanda was ready for a confrontation if South Africa wanted one and accused Ramaphosa and his government of distorting the facts about the fighting in the eastern DRC.

It was after several South African soldiers deployed there were killed as the M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwanda, were advancing towards the city of Goma.

Ramaphosa says issues between him and Kagame will be handled privately.

READ: Rwanda's Kagame warns SA has 'no place' in eastern DRC

"As a Head of State I am not in the habit of getting into the mud and arguing with other Heads of State. Matters of importance are discussed properly behind closed doors. So I am not going to get into the mud." 

Ramaphosa spoke to reporters at the Presidential Golf Challenge in Cape Town on Friday, a day after the State of the Nation Address.  

He is headed to Tanzania for a joint summit of the SADC and East Africa Community blocs to resolve the crisis in the DRC.

Kagame and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi are also expected there.

Ramaphosa has also responded to comments from the Trump administration with the Foreign Secretary Marco Rubio posting that he wouldn't be coming to Johannesburg for the G20 summit later this year because 'bad things are happening in South Africa'. 

ALSO READ: We will not be bullied, warns Ramaphosa

Ramaphosa says an envoy will be sent to explain South Africa’s position on various issues, including the G20.

"The United States is a very important player on the global stage, they are the biggest economy and they are our very important trading partner. So we intend to deal with them in a formal way and have proper engagements and as I said I am going to be sending a delegation to the world, on our own continent, Europe, the Americas and Asia and the Middle East to go and explain out position."

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