President Cyril Ramaphosa has undertaken a trip to Zimbabwe to attend the official opening of the neighbouring country’s Agricultural Show, in its 130th year, as a guest of honour.

The Presidency said on Friday that in addition to his participation in the event, Ramaphosa will also use the trip to “solidify the cordial relations that exist between South Africa and Zimbabwe, particularly in the economic sector”.

Founded in 1895, the yearly Zimbabwe Agricultural Show aims to promote development in the Southern African country, this year, under the theme ‘Building Bridges: Connecting Agriculture, Industry and Commerce’.

“The Zimbabwe Agricultural Show will also help promote intra-regional trade and economic integration within the SADC [Southern African Development Community] region,” the Presidency said.

As a main trading partner of South Africa in the SADC region, Zimbabwe imported R69.21-billion worth of South African goods and merchandise in 2024, most of which were vegetables, which make up R11.9-billion of Zimbabwe’s total imports from South Africa.

Meanwhile, South Africa brought in goods worth R5.4-billion from Zimbabwe in the same year.

Ramaphosa is accompanied by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Alvin Botes and other senior government officials on this trip.

Meanwhile, former Democratic Alliance (DA) parliamentary spokesperson on International Relations Emma Powell stated on X that Ramaphosa's trip to Zimbabwe was "a farce".

Powell came under fire from the African National Congress for allegedly spreading disinformation about South Africa during a trip to the US, and for allegedly undermining the South African government’s efforts to roll back the US’s tariff regime, amid the strained relationship between both countries.

She said Ramaphosa attending the event in Zimbabwe as a guest of honour was not diplomacy.

"...it’s a tacit endorsement of tyranny, Zimbabwe’s political capture, and State-sponsored human rights abuses. All the while, SA bears the brunt of the devastating migrant fallout. We deserve better leaders," she stated.