South African Government Slams Jacob Zuma’s Use of South African Flag During Morocco Trip

• The Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola, criticised Umkhonto weSizwe Party president, Jacob Zuma
• This was after Zuma displaced the South African flag during his recent visit to Morocco
• The Department of International Relations and Cooperation also slammed Zuma and said his actions violated diplomatic norms

Tebogo Mokwena, affiliated with Briefly News, covered local and international relations, political analysis, and interviews in South Africa for Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News during his 10 years of experience.

PRETORIA, GAUTENG — The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and its minister, Ronald Lamola, spoke out against Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party president Jacob Zuma's use of the South African flag during his visit to Morocco on 15 July 2025.

According to IOL, the department's spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, said Zuma's actions were a breach of diplomatic norms. Phiri pointed out that the use of national symbols, like the flag, during a visit to another country conveys official state endorsement. As such, it was not Zuma's place to use it as he did not represent any South African position.

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Phiri said that Zuma's use of the South African national flag in a meeting as a non-state actor constitutes an abuse of existing protocol and decorum and undermines official bilateral relations between the country and Morocco.

What did Lamola say?

Lamola said that the department strongly protests the use of national symbols during Zuma's meeting with Morocco's foreign minister, Nasser Bourita. The government also slammed the Moroccan government and said Zuma's actions will not be recognised as official bilateral engagements.

Zuma's party defended his visit after the African National Congress's secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, criticised his visit. Mbalula called Zuma a sellout, and the party said Zuma went in his capacity as a former statesman.

Recently, the Transvaal Kingdom State of Monarchs withdrew its support from the MK Party. Royal houses across Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo, and North West accused Zuma of disrespecting them and said the party would feel the effects during the upcoming elections.

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What did South Africans say?

Netizens commented on Facebook and shared their views.

"Zumas does not know when to rest. Doesn't he understand that he is old and should just leave politics alone because he is a grand master in failing?"

Jomo Samily said:

"Jacob Zuma is a South African, and he can use our flag as one of the South Africans."

Mngunmi Omhlophe said:

"If I were the South African government, I would be more concerned about the unemployment rate, poverty, and inequality."

TK Vee said:

"The ANC must chill this one out."

Rich Derxs said:

'He has the right to use it."

Floyd Shivambu predicts MK Party will collapse

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the party's former secretary-general Floyd Shivambu said the MK Party would not survive the next 10 years. This was despite his insistence that he would not resign from the MK Party.

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Shivambu said the party was struggling to become an organization, and it did not have the ideological, spiritual, or organizational fortitude to outlive its current problems.

Source: Briefly News