SA army dismisses ex-officer's threat to remove president

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has swiftly distanced itself from alarming statements made by a former commander, Sylvester Mangolele, who recently surfaced in a video circulating widely on social media.

In the video, Mr. Mangolele explicitly called for the removal of President Cyril Ramaphosa from office, setting a tight ultimatum of 48 hours for the president to step down or face forceful eviction. The former officer justified his demand by pointing to alleged constitutional violations committed by President Ramaphosa.

The video, which gained traction on Tuesday, has stirred considerable concern and speculation across the nation. In response to this development, the SANDF has taken a clear stance, emphasizing its non-involvement in political matters and disavowing any connection to the ex-commander's call for presidential removal.

However, in a statement on Tuesday, the army distanced itself from Mr Mangolele's comments, saying that he does not speak on behalf of SANDF.

“The SANDF condemns Sylvester Mangolele’s utterances with (the) contempt it deserves,” said SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini.

Mr Mangolele was dismissed from the defence force in 2018, the army said, without clarifying why he was sacked.