President Cyril Ramaphosa’s handling of the diplomatic onslaught from Donald Trump’s administration earned rare praise from EFF leader Julius Malema earlier this month.
South Africa has been at the receiving end of a sustained attack by Washington over unsubstantiated claims about the so-called persecution of “white people in South Africa”. The White House has imposed higher tariffs, banned South Africans from participating in the G20 while the US holds the presidency of the forum, and engaged in a relentless disinformation campaign against the country.
Trump’s return to office in January for a second term as US president led to a slew of problems for Ramaphosa’s administration.
No-one would have anticipated that his second coming as the leader of the free world would have led to prolonged diplomatic tensions between the two countries, which have historically enjoyed a sound relationship.
As soon as Trump appointed South African-born billionaire Elon Musk as head of the department of government efficiency (a temporary federal initiative to maximise productivity and reduce red tape), it was clear there would be sustained pressure on Pretoria from Washington.
Musk has been trying to launch Starlink, his internet service company, in South Africa but has taken issue with laws requiring him to have a broad-based BEE partner to operate in the country.
Ramaphosa’s administration remained level-headed — rolling with the punches, opting to be the bigger person, and steadfastly insisting on using diplomatic channels to engage with the Americans
In partnership with Trump, Musk exerted pressure on South Africa via social media to have the BBBEE laws changed. But South Africa stood its ground and refused to give in.
Ramaphosa’s administration remained level-headed — rolling with the punches, opting to be the bigger person, and steadfastly insisting on using diplomatic channels to engage with the Americans.
In February Trump signed an executive order stopping aid to South Africa and promoting the resettlement of Afrikaner “refugees”, who he said were escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination, including racially discriminatory property confiscation.
South Africa riled the US by signing into law the Expropriation Act, which Trump said would “enable the government of South Africa to seize ethnic-minority Afrikaners’ agricultural property without compensation”.
The February order revealed the Americans were also furious about the “aggressive positions” South Africa had taken towards the US and its allies. These included South Africa accusing Israel (and not Hamas) of genocide in the International Court of Justice, as well as reinvigorating its relations with Iran to develop its commercial, military and nuclear capabilities.
As relations soured, Ramaphosa travelled to Washington — supported by cabinet ministers, business mogul Johann Rupert and Trump’s golf buddies Ernie Els and Retief Goosen — in a bid to dispel the US’s claims. For a few weeks, it appeared the visit to the White House had made a difference, and there was hope negotiations on trade and tariffs would bear fruit for South Africa.
Trump’s G20 boycott seems to have been the straw that broke the camel’s back, as Pretoria then came out all guns blazing
But the country’s refusal to withdraw the case against Israel and its insistence on implementing BBBEE laws (thereby forcing Starlink to comply with transformational regulations if it wanted to operate in the country) led to a hardening of attitudes in Washington.
Trump retaliated by refusing to attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg, where South Africa was meant to hand over its presidency of the forum to the US.
Trump’s G20 boycott seems to have been the straw that broke the camel’s back, as Pretoria then came out all guns blazing. Trump was accused of having shown “disdain” for protocol, and sources said Ramaphosa had grown tired of trying to reason with a “bully”.
As 2025 neared its end, the two countries became embroiled in a dispute over US claims South Africa had harassed and detained its officials. The US embassy on Thursday threatened there would be “severe consequences” after the South African government arrested seven Kenyan nationals allegedly working illegally in the country on tourist visas. The Kenyans were working in a centre processing white South Africans’ applications for refugee status in the US.
“Failure by the South African government to hold those responsible [for the raid that resulted in the Kenyan nationals being arrested] accountable will result in severe consequences,” the embassy said.
But South Africa dismissed the US’s accusations, saying the seven Kenyans would be deported for working in the country illegally.
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