President Cyril Ramaphosa. File picture
IN A BID to resolve the diplomatic stand-off with the United States, President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to send a high-powered delegation to Washington to negotiate with President Donald Trump.
The move comes after Trump signed an executive order halting all aid and assistance to SA, citing claims of “race-based discrimination” against Afrikaners, including the country’s Expropriation Act.
According to sources, the real reason behind Trump's decision is believed to be linked to Elon Musk's Starlink internet service, which so far has been denied a licence to operate in South Africa due to its refusal to follow the country's black economic empowerment (BEE) laws.
Musk, who has close ties with Trump, is reportedly using his influence to pressure the SA government to relax its BEE requirements.
The delegation to Washington is expected to include senior government officials and business leaders, who will attempt to persuade Trump to reconsider his decision. The team will also engage with US lawmakers and other stakeholders to resolve the issues at hand.
Although unconfirmed by the government, sources close to the presidency said the delegation will comprise of government and non-government officials including Ramaphosa’s fixer Bejani Chauke, International Relations minister Ronald Lamola and ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane.
Efforts to reach government spokesperson Vincent Magwenya were unsuccessful.
However, according to weekend reports Magwenya said it was now clear that signing the Expropriation Act was not the matter at hand.
"It is now abundantly clear that the issues in dispute are no longer confined to the signing of the Expropriation Act," Magwenya reportedly said.
"Other issues have since emerged, including our stance against the genocidal state of Israel and our G20 theme of equality, solidarity, and sustainability,” he said.
Meanwhile, the DA has announced that it will send its own delegation to Washington to engage with US decision-makers on the diplomatic standoff.
Political analyst Ntsikelelo Breakfast said the grievance SA lodged at the International Court of Justice against Israel also played a role in Trump's decision to stop aid to South Africa.
“That move did not sit well with some powerful people in the US because it was seen as an attack.
“The Americans have used Israel as an entry point in the affairs of the middle east… so that grievance was perceived to be an anti-American stance.
“It's going to be interesting how this delegation is going to play itself out in the US given the fact that there are some demands that the Trump administration is making…For instance the withdrawal of the grievance in the ICJ and the withdrawal of the land policy, which is a mission impossible,” Breakfast said.
He added that the US-SA diplomatic conflict was going to escalate
“What we see now is escalating conflict. I'm not quite sure if that delegation would be able to cool off the Republicans because the people who are in charge of America now are reactionary, right-wing politicians who are on a mission to attack any state that is seen to be siding with the enemies of the US.
“The fact that SA has a relationship with Iran also does not sit well with the US. SA is also seen to be aligning with Russia. It is seen to be aligning with countries that are not on good terms with the US and that is why the country is being punished.
“The guys that are in charge in the US now have no diplomacy … This would have been handled differently if it was the democrats in charge.
“Under the current circumstances it looks like the gloves are off but president Ramaphosa was circumspect in terms of his response. He was very diplomatic. It was not aggressive enough … What will hurt SA is that the people who have been travelling to the US have painted a picture that Afrikaners are being ill treated and even they don't want to leave the country and go to the US.”
He said Musk wanted to enter the country’s market but did not want to follow the BEE regulations.
“So maybe that is going to be one of the demands because he funded the ascendency to power for Donald Trump in exchange for his influence. Musk has a grip on the current administration so there will be demands on how he can penetrate the SA market,” Breakfast said.