South Africa stands at a watershed moment. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s imminent meeting with President Donald Trump presents a historic opportunity: will South Africa continue its slide into global irrelevance, or embrace the pragmatic diplomacy that our economic survival demands?
The ANC’s foreign policy is a liability that threatens our national prosperity. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, South Africa has claimed “neutrality”, yet its actions betray a deliberate anti-Western alignment. In February 2023, Pretoria hosted Russian and Chinese naval exercises during Vladimir Putin’s brutal war. The Admiral Gorshkov, bearing the same “Z” markings as Russian invasion tanks, sailed in our waters as a propaganda gift to Moscow, while the ANC maintained complicit silence on Ukrainian suffering.
This pattern repeated recently with Ramaphosa’s theatrical meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in April. Having just pledged to Putin to “work together” towards peace, conspicuously avoiding any criticism of Russia’s illegal invasion, Ramaphosa’s calls for an “unconditional ceasefire” convinced no-one. The visit achieved little before Zelensky rushed home to defend against Russian missile attacks on Kyiv deliberately timed to coincide with his Pretoria visit.
Yet nothing exposes the ANC’s anti-Western agenda more starkly than its pathological hostility toward Israel. After Hamas’s October 7 massacre, while Israeli families buried their children, ANC leaders donned keffiyehs and accused the victims of genocide. The then international relations minister, Naledi Pandor, personally telephoned Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh to offer solidarity. The government’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice represents not advocacy for Palestinians, but a calculated assault on the right of self-defence of America’s democratic ally in the Middle East.
This obsession reveals the ANC’s strategy: attacking Israel serves as proxy warfare against the West. When the department of international relations and co-operation (Dirco) becomes a Hamas propaganda outlet, when South Africa champions terrorists committed to destroying the Middle East’s only democracy, it broadcasts alignment with the Iran-Russia-China axis opposing Western civilisation.
The hypocrisy is breathtaking. When genocidaire Omar al-Bashir visited South Africa in 2015, our government orchestrated his escape from arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC). When Putin faced ICC warrants, Ramaphosa declared that arresting him would mean war with Russia. Yet minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni demands ICC action against Israel’s democratically elected leader. This selective outrage exposes not principled foreign policy, but cynical political theatre.
The consequences are tangible and devastating. While the Johannesburg city council proposes to rename the Sandton street housing the US consulate after terrorist Leila Khaled, South Africa haemorrhages investment opportunities. As unemployment soars past 30% and infrastructure collapses, we alienate the world’s largest economy, precisely when we need American investment most desperately.
The government of national unity represented hope for change, yet the ANC’s grip on Dirco prevented any foreign policy reform. How can we have genuine unity when one party, having lost its electoral majority, maintains absolute control over international relations? The DA courageously blocked the ANC’s destructive VAT increase; that same backbone must now challenge our suicidal foreign policy.
President Ramaphosa must arrive at the Trump meeting with concrete proposals. First, immediately withdraw from the ICJ case against Israel under article 89. This single act would signal to Washington that South Africa respects democratic nations’ right to self-defence and is serious about realignment. Second, restore full diplomatic relations with Israel, with respective ambassadors in both countries. Third, adopt a “dehyphenated” approach, engaging Israel and Palestinians as separate diplomatic tracks rather than conflating them.
Ramaphosa should also address US concerns about minority protections. By guaranteeing property rights, acknowledging Afrikaner cultural legitimacy and ensuring colour-blind law enforcement, South Africa would demonstrate commitment to the pluralistic values underpinning Western democracy. This directly addresses international concerns about farm attacks and land expropriations that have devastated our reputation among potential investors.
Beyond diplomatic realignment, Ramaphosa should bring tangible economic proposals that integrate South Africa with Western markets. A comprehensive gas exploration deal with US energy companies could unlock our offshore reserves while reducing energy dependence on hostile nations. Strategic partnerships in critical minerals, where South Africa holds significant reserves needed for Western technology and defence industries, would create mutual dependencies that strengthen ties. Infrastructure investment agreements, particularly in ports and renewable energy, could position South Africa as the gateway for US business into Africa.
Trump’s expanding Abraham Accords present another missed opportunity. During his current Middle East tour, Trump urged Saudi Arabia and Syria to join this transformative peace framework. South Africa’s reflexive hostility towards Israel excludes us entirely from this diplomatic revolution reshaping regional economics and politics. We forfeit the chance to facilitate African participation in agreements creating billions in new trade opportunities. Ramaphosa must signal South Africa’s openness to renormalisation with Israel and participation in the new Middle East.
Ramaphosa faces a defining choice. Arrive at the Trump meeting with the same tired Cold War rhetoric that has impoverished our nation, or seize this moment to fundamentally reset South African diplomacy. The decision will determine whether our children inherit a prosperous democracy integrated with the global economy or a failing state isolated by ideological obsessions.
The world is watching. Will South Africa choose pragmatic prosperity or ideological poverty? Our economic survival hangs in the balance. Choose wisely, Mr President. Our future depends on it.
* Polovin is national chair of the South African Zionist Federation
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