By Johnathan Paoli
Public Diplomacy Head for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Clayson Monyela, has apologised and deleted a social media comment that triggered a political storm after it appeared to endorse calls for South Africa to revive a nuclear weapons programme.
The controversy erupted following an exchange on X, where a user urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to “bring back nuclear programs” to protect South Africa from what was described as bullying by the United States.
Responding to the comment, Monyela wrote: “I find no fault in your proposal”.
Although the remark did not explicitly call for the revival of nuclear weapons, it was widely interpreted as supportive of nuclear rearmament.
The comment drew swift backlash, particularly given South Africa’s unique international standing as the only country to have voluntarily dismantled its nuclear weapons programme.
Monyela later deleted the post and issued a clarification, conceding that the comment had been “poorly framed” and open to misinterpretation.
“I have deleted this comment. Poorly framed. I have no issues in apologising for it. South Africa remains committed to a nuclear-free world, except for scientific, medical and energy use. That remains the policy position of the government,” Monyela said.
Despite the apology, opposition parties argued that the damage had already been done.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) demanded disciplinary action and a formal public apology, warning that the remark risked undermining South Africa’s long-standing commitment to nuclear non-proliferation.
DA national spokesperson Jan de Villiers described the exchange as reckless and deeply irresponsible for a senior official charged with communicating South Africa’s foreign policy.
“In a public exchange on social media, Mr Monyela responded approvingly to a suggestion that South Africa should pursue nuclear weapons as a deterrent against the United States. This is an extraordinary and deeply irresponsible statement for a senior diplomat tasked with representing South Africa’s official foreign-policy positions to the world,” De Villiers said.
The DA stressed that South Africa’s voluntary dismantling of its nuclear weapons programme remains one of its most significant contributions to global peace and non-proliferation.
Any suggestion that the country might revisit that path, the party said, contradicts commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and weakens Pretoria’s moral standing when advocating for a rules-based international order.
The party further called on International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola to publicly distance the department from the remarks and urged DIRCO Director-General Zane Dangor to consider disciplinary steps against Monyela.
The controversy has unfolded amid heightened global tensions, including renewed diplomatic sparring involving US President Donald Trump and the American capture of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro.
Against this backdrop, any rhetoric touching on nuclear deterrence has attracted intense scrutiny, particularly from a country that has long positioned itself as a champion of disarmament and multilateralism.
South Africa dismantled its nuclear weapons programme in the early 1990s and has since been a vocal advocate for global nuclear disarmament.
As a signatory to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), the government officially continues to promote non-proliferation while maintaining nuclear capabilities strictly for peaceful purposes, including energy generation, medical applications and scientific research.
The DA warned that “grievance-driven escalation” in foreign policy rhetoric risks harming South Africa’s national interests, particularly at a time when stable relations with major trading partners such as the United States are critical for investment and job creation.
Inside Politics reached out to Monyela but had not received a response at the time of publication.
INSIDE POLITICS