Punitive Jackson Bill moves ahead in Washington as US lawmakers determined to “make an example” of SA

The US’s punitive Jackson Bill, which threatens harsh punishment for South Africa including personal financial sanctions on leading ANC members, has taken another big step towards becoming law. Its sponsor, former White House medical chief Ronny Jackson, celebrated its passing through the committee stage by tweeting that it will give President Trump “the tools necessary to hold their corrupt government accountable.” Joshua Meservey, a senior fellow at Washington’s prestigious Hudson Institute, provides context in this interview with BizNews editor Alec Hogg..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here.The auditorium doors will open for BNIC#2 on 10 September 2025 in Hermanus. For more information and tickets, click here..Watch here:.Listen here:.BizNews Reporter.A proposed US bill targeting senior ANC officials has taken a major step forward, fuelling fears in Pretoria that Washington’s frustration with South Africa's foreign policy is boiling over. Congressman Ronnie Jackson’s bill, now passed through the House Foreign Affairs Committee, opens the door to potential sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act – a powerful legal tool enabling punitive action against foreign officials implicated in corruption or human rights abuses.Speaking to BizNews’ Alec Hogg, Joshua Meservey, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, described the bill’s advancement as “a big development,” even though it still faces several hurdles before becoming law. The next stages include votes in the full House and Senate – both Republican-controlled – and ultimately, the signature of US President Donald Trump, should he return to office.Meservey emphasised that the bill is not an unprovoked punishment, but a response to years of ANC behaviour that has antagonised the United States. “From Washington’s perspective, this is a response in kind to what has been going on for a long time,” he said.The bill builds on previous legislation and includes provisions that could lead to targeted sanctions against ANC officials. This escalation stems from a range of grievances: South Africa’s military exercises with Russia and China, its warm ties with Iran and Hamas, and most controversially, its championing of a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Pretoria’s decision to expel Taiwan’s diplomatic representation from the capital was also cited as an example of deepening alignment with Beijing.Notably, some Democrats backed the bill during the committee stage, suggesting bipartisan frustration with South Africa’s trajectory. However, Meservey noted that other Democrats, particularly those in the Congressional Black Caucus, voiced opposition - often based on outdated perceptions of the ANC as the moral force of the anti-apartheid era. “The ANC has betrayed that legacy long ago,” he said.When asked how the ANC could avert the threat of sanctions, Meservey was clear: “Undertake substantive reforms - quickly.” Yet he expressed little optimism that such changes are forthcoming, pointing to years of warnings from US officials that have gone unheeded.Even recent explosive allegations from former police commissioner General Mkhwanazi - who claimed criminals are manipulating parliamentarians - have done little to shift ANC behaviour, although Meservey confirmed these revelations are being tracked with interest by Washington insiders.Meservey further stressed that targeted sanctions would resonate more than broad economic penalties like removing AGOA benefits. “The relevant elites aren’t going to change unless they are personally affected,” he explained.Ultimately, he sees the bill as a necessary step - not only to influence South Africa, but to signal to other governments that antagonising the United States while expecting aid and trade benefits will no longer be tolerated. “There needs to be an example that things have indeed changed,” he said.Despite the growing tensions, Meservey acknowledged the work of recent Afrikaner delegates to Washington, who presented a more nuanced view of South Africa, highlighting the goodwill of its people and the existence of pro-Western voices within the Government of National Unity. Whether those voices will be enough to change course remains to be seen.

Punitive Jackson Bill moves ahead in Washington as US lawmakers determined to “make an example” of SA

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