There has been a long, if not always productive relationship between the Global and the African leading nations.
However recent developments may result in a difficult path forward, and finding a constructive way for relations between the two nations of continental influence to be rebuilt is becoming increasingly a bleak ask.
There have been a multitude of differences that appear to be separating Washington and Pretoria, and the recent statements by both presidents has not been particularly useful in helping to bridge that gap.
Key Issues Contributing to Tensions:
Land Expropriation Policies:
The South African government’s recent enactment of a land expropriation law has been a significant point of contention. The newly legislated expropriation act would allow the government to expropriate any property without compensation, although this is given under certain conditions. The main contention is that the act only states that this can happen due to it being “in the public interest” without clarifying the exact meaning of this. U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized this policy, alleging that it would lead to targeted confiscation of land and mistreatment of specific minority groups.
Trump’s response has been to halt all U.S. funding to South Africa pending an investigation into these claims. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended the law, asserting that it is a constitutionally mandated process designed to ensure equitable access to land and has made the claim that no land has been confiscated to date. There have however been cases of expropriation without compensation while other land that was “bought” for purposes of redress of historical land claims, were often not paid full value.
BRICS Alignment and BRICS currency Support
South Africa is one of several African States that have joined the BRICS association of countries, that includes US rival states such as China and Russia and has been calling for a central BRICS currency to challenge the US dollar as the global trading currency. The US sees this as taking a position against its interest and with particular concern around Russia pushing BRICS nations to drop the US currency for trading purposes. Trump has vowed that should this go ahead that there will be dire consequences for the nations involved.
Allegations of Arms Support to Russia:
In May 2023, U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, accused South Africa of supplying weapons and ammunition to Russia during the docking of the Russian cargo ship, Lady R, in December 2022. South Africa denied these allegations and initiated an independent inquiry, which concluded that there was no evidence to support the claim that weapons were loaded onto the vessel for Russia. Despite the inquiry’s findings, the incident strained diplomatic relations, with the U.S. expressing concerns over South Africa’s purported non-aligned stance in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Military Cooperation:
South Africa’s military engagements with countries like Russia and China have raised concerns in the U.S. Notably, South Africa hosted a naval exercise with Russia and China in February 2023, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These actions have led to questions about South Africa’s claimed non-aligned foreign policy stance and have been perceived by some U.S. policymakers as tacit support for Russia.
Trade Relations and Economic Policies:
Trade dynamics between the two nations have experienced friction. The U.S. has expressed concerns over South Africa’s land reform policies and their potential impact on American investments. In response to U.S. criticisms, South African officials have suggested leveraging their mineral exports as a countermeasure. IN a defiant stance, South Africa’s Resources Minister, Gwede Mantashe, has proposed withholding minerals from the U.S. should aid from the US be cut, stating that Africa should hold its own agency in its industrialization and development.
Tenuous Relations with US and its Allies:
The South African government has also been taking an active role against several key allies of the US. Particularly its stance taken against Israel, by bringing charges against it in the ICC for human rights abuses in its ongoing conflict with Palestine. More recently Pretoria has ended diplomatic relationship with Taiwan, a key US ally and has now demanded that the country remove its embassy from Pretoria and relocate it to Johannesburg and downgrade it to a Trade Mission status.
US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio has this week announced that he will not be attending the G20 Summit in Johannesburg this month in a snub that has not gone unnoticed in the global diplomatic circles.
AID and AGOA
The US has responded to these moves by Pretoria by removing all aid to the South African state, and in addition their withdrawal from the World Heath Organisation, has resulted in a major portion of the HIV medication funding in the country disappearing.
The AGOA trade deal that sees South Africa get beneficial trade opportunities from the US is now also at risk and this is a major issue for South Africa with the US currently its second largest trading partner.
The complexities in the U.S.-South Africa relationship, are becoming a critical concern for business and for the country. Investors are looking elsewhere, and while many initiatives within South Africa are being driven to build the economy, particularly by private enterprise, there is the ever growing concern that the alienation and differing perspectives on domestic policies, international alliances, and economic strategies, have no common ground.
What can South Africa and the US do to Build a Bridge?
Most negotiations start with a common purpose, and in this instance there is sufficient scope simply in acknowledging that geographically and economically, both nations have the opportunity to benefit from a cordial and constructive relationship.
It would also be an important development if both parties would tone down the threats and rhetoric to enable at least a neutral tone in which there may be a process of acknowledging the other party’s concerns.
Engagements so far have run rough-shod over sensibility and are leading to further alienation of the states. This needs to end if there is to be a clear way forward. Pretoria needs to do this to safeguard a massive chunk of its trade while the US needs to see the potential of a better partnership with Africa’s largest economy.
Bridges take time and careful planning if they are to be built to last. South Africa and America need to call back the attack hounds and send in the engineers and builders to save the situation from getting to a point of no return.
