Public Protector clears Ramaphosa over Steenhuisen's Oval Office remarks

The Public Protector has cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of breaching the executive ethics code following a complaint regarding his silence during Minister John Steenhuisen's remarks about the uMkhonto weSizwe MK Party and the EFF. The complaint, filed by MK party MP Mzwanele Manyi, alleged that President Ramaphosa violated section 2 of parliament's code of ethical conduct by not correcting or disassociating himself from Steenhuisen's comments made during a White House visit with US President Donald Trump on May 21, 2025. The Public Protector's investigation, which included reviewing video recordings, correspondence, constitutional provisions, and the executive ethics code, found no evidence of a breach. The Public Protector determined that Steenhuisen made the comments as a DA leader, not as government policy, and that the President had no legal duty to rebut political statements from a coalition partner in a diplomatic setting. The Public Protector also found no conflict between President Ramaphosa's official responsibilities and any private interest, concluding that the allegations were unsubstantiated and the matter is formally closed. The Public Protector emphasized that political parties have a constitutional right to express opinions, even within coalition governments, and such speech does not automatically constitute executive misconduct.