Ethekwini: 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 made this announcement during his remarks at the unveiling of statues of struggle stalwarts, former President Nelson Mandela and ANC leader Oliver Tambo, in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal.
According to South African Government News Agency, the President described the decision as a worthy recognition of the progress made with all social partners in restoring confidence in the city and an encouragement to complete the work. President Ramaphosa also expressed anticipation for inviting regional leaders to eThekwini to deliberate on issues critical to Southern Africa's growth and development, which he noted would be a fitting tribute to Mandela and Tambo's legacy.
The announcement aligns with South Africa's assumption of interim leadership of SADC. President Ramaphosa was elected interim Chairperson of SADC during a virtual Extraordinary Summit held on 7 November 2025. This development followed Madagascar's decision to relinquish its SADC Chair role due to political developments impacting its capacity to fulfill its responsibilities.
In accordance with SADC Treaty provisions, South Africa has assumed interim leadership of the regional body until August 2026, when the Summit will make a formal determination. Originally, South Africa was appointed as the incoming 46th Chair during the 45th Ordinary SADC Summit held in Madagascar in August 2025. However, due to Madagascar's situation, South Africa has taken over earlier than planned and will host all SADC meetings from November 2025.
According to the Summit communiqu©, South Africa will guide SADC under the theme adopted in August 2025: 'Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC.' Hosting the 46th SADC Summit in eThekwini is expected to bolster South Africa's leadership within the bloc while positioning the city as a hub for regional diplomacy and economic cooperation.