The recent White House meeting between President Ramaphosa’s delegation and the Trump Administration has laid bare the delicate balancing acts our country must perform on the global stage, not too out of line with my previous calls.
While the televised encounter was marred in by controversy – with the US President amplifying unfounded claims about a “white genocide” in South Africa – indications are that the closed-door discussion that followed signalled a potential reset in bilateral relations, with both sides agreeing to strengthen trade ties, increase investments, and foster technological collaboration.
As President of ActionSA, I believe South Africa can and must pursue a pragmatic approach, i.e., make strategic compromises to secure our economic future while steadfastly upholding our sovereignty and democratic values, mindful of the open wounds of our past.
We all know it; our country’s economy is at a crossroads. The US remains our send-largest trading partner after China, with exports to the US valued at some R258bn in 2023 – over 12% of our total exports. Any disruption of this relationship could have devastating consequences, especially for sectors like agriculture and automative manufacturing that employ thousands and rely on preferential access to the US market. In a country where almost a third of the workforce is unemployed, safeguarding these trade relations with the US cannot be seen as a luxury. It is an existential necessity.
What does the US want and what can we offer?
The Trump administration has made several demands and accusations that have complicated relations between our two countries:
- False claims of “white genocide” that were used as an excuse to offer a refugee status to Afrikaners and to pressure South Africa to change certain policies aimed at economic redress.
- Criticism of land reform. This led to Trump freezing aid to South Africa based on assertions about land expropriation exclusively targeting white farmers.
- Displeasure with South Africa’s stance on Israel. It is known that Trump is opposed to South Africa having taken legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
While I do not believe that South Africa should compromise on principles such as the need for land reform, economic redress, our commitment to human rights, and the rule of law, there are areas where pragmatic compromises could be made to advance our national interests. These are:
- Enhanced Economic Diplomacy and Trade Negotiations: This would ensure that South Africa becomes a lot more “transactional” and reduces overreliance on preferential trade arrangements that place us in the favour of or at the economic beck and call of other countries, such as AGOA, which are subject to political whims and vulnerable to being revoked unilaterally. A fairly negotiated, mutually beneficial arrangement would be more robust and predictable, ensuring continued market access for South Africa’s exports.
- Transparent Communication and Evidence-based Dialogue: Notwithstanding the acknowledgement of high levels of crime that affect South Africans across the board, we could invite independent observers, including US officials and independent media, to come and see for themselves and help counter misinformation about the claimed “white genocide”. This must be done in a way that balances the risk of allowing foreign governments to dictate domestic policies, on one hand, and the need to engage constructively with our foreign partners, on the other, to help us rebuild trust.
- We must balance our foreign policy priorities: We must avoid the trap of ideological posturing that prioritises cold war era alliances over the economic well-being of our people in the contemporary era. This doesn’t mean that we stop maintaining principled positions on key global issues. Our foreign policy must be guided by the imperative to grow our economy and secure jobs, investment, and other opportunities for South Africans. This means that we should remain open to dialogue with all major powers, including the US, the EU, our BRICS partners, etc., without sacrificing our constitutional values and imperatives.
- We must address the concerns of all South Africans, irrespective of background, acknowledge their legitimate concerns and ensure that their constitutional rights are equally protected. Encouraging open debate in our multiparty parliament and in various public forums would help us avoid situations where domestic grievances are ripe for exploitation by foreign actors.
- We must continue to strengthen our democratic institutions following massive weakening and repurposing through state capture and other forms of abuses, over the past 20 years or so. Our criminal justice system must be strengthened to act without fear, favour, or prejudice, acting with utmost transparency in all cases. The same should go for our Chapter 9 and other state institutions on whose mandate the health of our democracy relies. If we get this right, even South Africans across the world will be motivated to act as positive ambassadors of our key drives to attract tourists, investors, and other goodwill generating initiatives across the globe.
There are, of course, areas where we should not compromise easily. These are:
- On Constitutional Land Reform: This is a historic imperative that will keep looking us in the eye and that must be carried out justly, with balance and empathy, not anger and misplaced emotions.
- Sovereignty and self-determination. No foreign government – irrespective of its identity – should be allowed to dictate our domestic policies or act as parallel authority to our democratic institutions, provided all our acts are lawful and considerate of human and other rights.
- Human Rights and International Law: Our country should continue to advocate for human rights and international whenever they come under threats, anywhere in the world, starting with Africa, even when this is politically inconvenient for the powerful.
Despite the tensions that characterised the terrain ahead of and during parts of the white House meeting, there are opportunities for our country to look into the mirror and attend to some internal pains and to reset our relations with the US. But the latter must be done on a more stable and mutually beneficial footing.
As ActionSA, we have consistently argued for a foreign policy that puts the interests of all South Africans first instead of the ideological preferences of dominant political parties or the whims of foreign powers. We see no other way for our country to remain a respected and influential voice in a rapidly changing and fragmentising world, while delivering prosperity and dignity to all South Africans in their diversity.
SA-US Relations: What South Africa can give without losing face
The recent White House meeting between President Ramaphosa’s delegation and the Trump Administration has laid bare the delicate balancing acts our country must perform on the global stage, not too out of line with my previous calls.
While the televised encounter was marred in by controversy – with the US President amplifying unfounded claims about a “white genocide” in South Africa – indications are that the closed-door discussion that followed signalled a potential reset in bilateral relations, with both sides agreeing to strengthen trade ties, increase investments, and foster technological collaboration.
As President of ActionSA, I believe South Africa can and must pursue a pragmatic approach, i.e., make strategic compromises to secure our economic future while steadfastly upholding our sovereignty and democratic values, mindful of the open wounds of our past.
We all know it; our country’s economy is at a crossroads. The US remains our send-largest trading partner after China, with exports to the US valued at some R258bn in 2023 – over 12% of our total exports. Any disruption of this relationship could have devastating consequences, especially for sectors like agriculture and automative manufacturing that employ thousands and rely on preferential access to the US market. In a country where almost a third of the workforce is unemployed, safeguarding these trade relations with the US cannot be seen as a luxury. It is an existential necessity.
What does the US want and what can we offer?
The Trump administration has made several demands and accusations that have complicated relations between our two countries:
While I do not believe that South Africa should compromise on principles such as the need for land reform, economic redress, our commitment to human rights, and the rule of law, there are areas where pragmatic compromises could be made to advance our national interests. These are:
There are, of course, areas where we should not compromise easily. These are:
Despite the tensions that characterised the terrain ahead of and during parts of the white House meeting, there are opportunities for our country to look into the mirror and attend to some internal pains and to reset our relations with the US. But the latter must be done on a more stable and mutually beneficial footing.
As ActionSA, we have consistently argued for a foreign policy that puts the interests of all South Africans first instead of the ideological preferences of dominant political parties or the whims of foreign powers. We see no other way for our country to remain a respected and influential voice in a rapidly changing and fragmentising world, while delivering prosperity and dignity to all South Africans in their diversity.