Cyril Ramaphosa praised two teenage brothers for fighting off several middle-aged white men during a racist attack at Maselspoort Resort outside Bloemfontein.
Announcing the party’s key priorities for the year at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Mangaung on Sunday, Ramaphosa also talked tough about racism.
While sitting alongside the newly elected leadership of the ANC, he applauded the Nakedi brothers, aged 15 and 18.
“The most shameful act to perpetrate against young boys like these was to see old white men choke these men and drown them in a pool underwater,” Ramaphosa said.
Several white men attempted to prevent the black teens from using a swimming pool they claimed was only for whites on Christmas Day.
National outrage was sparked by a 32-second video clip posted on Twitter that shared the incident.
South Africa must expel racists who have not reformed, said Ramaphosa, while thanking the teenagers for standing up to them.
“I thank you, boys; stay strong and do not be afraid of white people. They no longer have power, their project of apartheid is over,” Ramaphosa said.
“We commend you, and say what happened to you should not deter you. You must be strong as young men; the message I want to give to you is that the spirit of our forebears who fought against the apartheid system must fill you with courage as it does all of us.
“We honour these young men, we thank them and we also thank their parents for having stood firm to make sure that they resist the racist acts and practices being perpetrated against them.”