Cyril Ramaphosa was not poisoned at BRICS Summit in India

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has officially dismissed viral social media claims suggesting that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and other world leaders suffered from food poisoning while attending the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

The ministry’s fact-checking unit labeled the reports as misleading and unverified, warning the public against the rapid spread of misinformation regarding the health of prominent political figures.

The speculation arose after the South African Presidency announced on September 16, 2026, that President Ramaphosa had been advised by doctors to rest and withdraw from public engagements following his return from the summit. The statement noted that the 73-year-old President was booked off due to ill health, which prompted online rumors linking his condition to the event in India.

The Presidency wishes to advise that, due to ill health, President Cyril Ramaphosa is currently booked off from public engagements. President Ramaphosa, who returned from the BRICS Summit in India on Monday, has been advised by his medical team to rest and recover.

Despite these rumors, authorities have clarified that there is no evidence of a food poisoning outbreak or any malicious incident involving the leaders who attended the summit.