Cyril Ramaphosa on LGBT Rights

Cyril Ramaphosa is positioned as an LGBT-friendly politician with a positive record concerning the rights of LGBT people in South Africa. His historical involvement includes serving as the chairperson of the country's Constitutional Assembly in the 1990s, where he was instrumental in ensuring that sexual orientation was explicitly included as a prohibited ground for discrimination in the foundational legal text. This constitutional protection has cemented South Africa's status as the only country in Africa with such explicit, high-level protection. He has also publicly voiced support for the community, for instance, by sending a message celebrating LGBTQI+ people and emphasizing mutual respect and dignity.

His administration has continued to signal support through legislative action, such as assenting to laws that aim to combat hate crimes and hate speech, which includes provisions based on sexual orientation and gender identity. While South Africa maintains strong legal frameworks, Ramaphosa's administration has been noted as needing to step up and use diplomatic influence to protect LGBTIQ+ rights across the African continent, especially in the face of external pressures. His stance is notably contrasted with that of his predecessor, who held openly derogatory views toward the community.