President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that eThekwini will be the venue for the 46th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to be held in August 2026.
The President announced this when he delivered remarks at the unveiling of the statues of struggle stalwarts, former President Nelson Mandela and ANC leader Oliver Tambo in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, on Tuesday.
The President described the decision as a worthy recognition of the progress that has been made together with all social partners in restoring confidence in the city and encouragement to complete the work.
“We look forward, as the chair of SADC, to invite leaders from across the region to gather here in eThekwini – where the African Union was launched – to deliberate on issues that are critical to the growth and development of Southern Africa. This would be a fitting tribute to the legacy of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo,” he said.
The announcement comes as South Africa assumes the interim leadership of the regional bloc.
President Ramaphosa was elected interim Chairperson of SADC during a virtual Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government held on 7 November 2025.
The decision followed the Republic of Madagascar’s move to relinquish its role as SADC Chair due to recent political developments that affected its capacity to fulfil the responsibilities of the position.
In line with provisions of the SADC Treaty, South Africa, as Deputy Chair, has assumed interim leadership of the regional body until August 2026, when the Summit is expected to make a formal determination.
SADC leaders had originally appointed South Africa as the incoming 46th Chair during the 45th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Antananarivo, Madagascar, in August 2025. The Summit is the highest policy-making structure of the regional bloc.
Due to developments in Madagascar, however, South Africa has taken over earlier than anticipated and, as interim Chair, will host all SADC meetings from November 2025.
According to the Summit communiqué, South Africa will steer SADC under the theme adopted in August 2025: “Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC.”
The hosting of the 46th SADC Summit in eThekwini is therefore expected to cement South Africa’s leadership role within the bloc, while positioning the coastal city as a centre for regional diplomacy and economic cooperation in the year ahead. – SAnews.gov.za
