Key topics:
- SA risks AGOA cancellation, potential US sanctions under the Magnitsky Act.
- ANC’s ties with Iran strain US relations, harming SA’s global standing.
- Poor foreign policy weakens SA’s influence, isolating it in global diplomacy.
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By Patrick McLaughlin*
Is SA out of its league?
Under the Trump administration, US/SA relationships are unlikely to change to any great degree unless elements of the ANC accede to a call for legislative reform and the DA warms to the idea that South Africa is on totally the wrong track in foreign relations and encourages a break with Iran. Nobody, it seems, is prepared to bite the bullet. Unless circumstances completely alter, yet to come is the possibility of the formal cancellation of AGOA and even, perhaps, warrants of arrest served on various ANC politicians in terms of the US Magnitsky Act.
Around the corner for SA is a visit from FATF, the OECDâs anti-money laundering team on the subject of grey listing. Also outstanding is the question of how long Brazil and India are to sit on the BRICS fence of nations not participating over the question of whether the US dollar remains the dominant currency. Trump knows what China, Russia and Iran think on this. Count your fingers. It leaves South Africa in pole position for the Trump question as to whether the country supports the dollar or not, the ANC appearing to be in the pockets of Iran.
Out of touch
What is so clear is that South Africa is attempting to conduct international affairs with absolutely no foreign intelligence system, few diplomatic professionals in the 103 SA embassies worldwide, with a cadre-appointed Ambassador to the US – a fundamentalist – who is attempting to liaise with newly appointed Trump officials who have deep prejudicial views on SA already planted in their brief. The new game in town is the MAGA power game made up of instantaneous decisions, sudden violent changes as a result of no rules, no friendships, no paper agreements but any debate having upfront the principles of wealth, military strength and commodity control. In such areas most international diplomatic relationships and diplomats are totally at sea.
South Africa is not alone amongst nations confused by the sudden change in US policies. Happy taunting the giant in the past, South Africa has been caught in a photo flash and shown to be not so neutral. Under the aegis of an ANC/SACP/COSATU alliance and whilst being accepted by the EU in general trade terms only, South Africa has injured its economic future by recklessly following a socialist agenda and mixing with the wrong kind of people. This is according to most Western nations, particularly President Tump.
At home
On the domestic front the ANC remains in tight control of the major critical development portfolios such as energy, finance, labour and transport, justice, police and defence, controlling both policy and the relevant legislation through Parliament, any arguments against the status quo leaving the GNU vulnerable. So it is also with International Affairs or DIRCO, a department which is always a mystery zone. Run by Director General, Zane Dangor, who is married to ex minister of international affairs, Naledi Pandor, the instigator of the SA platform of attack on Israel, Pandor converted to the Muslim faith a number of years ago appearing on SA Muslim faith TV channels. Also she is the person who spoke to Hamas leaders by mobile, the transcript of which has not been released. The Pandor/Dangor relationship is inextricably linked to an ANC relationship with the Iranian government, which is in fact represented by the Ayatollah, of course, and nobody else.
Most sensible South Africans are still struggling to come to terms with the fact that Iran, in all likelihood, funded the entire SA legal process at the International Court of Justice. This must have been seen by President Trump, and in the eyes of many Americans who are in the main highly patriotic people, as an unforgivable and certainly a very unfriendly act. Needless to say, the CIA are just adding this to other anti-US behaviour on their lists such as Chinese and Russian navy exercises and incidents in the Simonstown dockyards, etc, etc. The final insult comes now from President Ramaphosa who attacked US foreign policy in the Washington diplomatic press over its stance with Israel. It would be DG Zane Dangorâs job to have written that article, made public in an excellent BizNews interview by Alec Hogg of Dr Frans Cronje.
Consequences
Hopefully, it is the ANC, not South Africa, which will go down as an aggressor in US history books. Trumpâs involvement or not, this action by SA in the front of the world hurt the American psyche and was an irreversible act of finger-pointing. Also, in the mind of a short-tempered and at times unpredictable US President, South Africa must therefore be included in current White House thinking that there are a whole number of countries, as well as the UN itself, who are unnecessary bed partners in the search to âMake America Great Againâ.
So how did we arrive at a situation of âno showsâ at our first G20? Suely not bad public relations, nor a bad venue or lack of planning. The answer is obvious. Just part of the dreadful collapse of our international standing due to inept political management of South African foreign policy and by playing stupid games with the known enemies of the United States of America. Anywhere else, Cyril Ramaphosa would be asked to resign for such actions without the appraisal of the GNU and for having gone out of his way to raise the temperature without care in SAâs precarious financial position.
One is also left wondering how an increase in VAT ever arose as in issue in the 2025 National Budget estimations. Spending on International Relations last year amounted to an eye watering R6,56bn and Minister Lamola is now asking the finance minister for more. One of those easy self-answering questions.
Read also:
- đ RW Johnson: Rational, fact-based perspective of Trump, Musk, Ramaphosa pronouncements
- ANC’s ties with Iran strain US relations
- Paul Hoffman â South Africa is looking to some like the âuseful idiotâ for Hamas, Iran
*Patrick McLaughlin: Editor, parlyreportsa
