Key topics
- Trump’s Africa strategy may target South Africa’s foreign policies and trade.
- South Africa’s ties to China could risk exclusion from the Africa Growth Act.
- Pollak suggests a broader US push to counter China’s influence in Africa.
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By John Matisonn ___STEADY_PAYWALL___
President Donald Trump has already had an impact on South African politics even before his key Africa positions have been filled.
Reacting to an interview with Joel Pollak, the former South African tipped to be his ambassador to South Africa, leaders from the African Christian Democratic Party, ActionSA and Freedom Front + have already used their legislative positions to call on the ANC to avoid Trump’s wrath by renaming Sandton Drive after former Palestinian hijacker Leila Khaled.
Answering questions from the SA Jewish Report, Pollak warned that “South Africa has angered the US, which has it in its crosshairs,” and if the plan to name the street where the Johannesburg US consulate is housed, “the Johannesburg US consulate will close, and not reopen.”
The decision to rename the street was taken in 2018, and after many delays was due to be implemented this month, but this week implementation was again put on hold.
Khaled is a Palestinian militant who became famous as the first woman involved in hijacking airplanes, first in 1969 and again in 1970, in which Americans died.
A senior editor-at-large for Breitbart News, the brainchild of Steve Bannon, who served in the Trump White House in 2017, Pollak knows the thinking of the new administration on South Africa better than almost anyone.
Trump has not made public who he will appoint as ambassador, but Pollak is reportedly the frontrunner. He confirmed that he would take the job if it is offered.
He said no decision has been taken on whether to exclude South Africa from the Africa Growth and Opportunity (AGOA) Act, but the country “would have to make some serious changes to its foreign and domestic policies.”
He said both Democrats and Republicans had reservations about South Africa in AGOA, and claimed that Chinese firms have relocated to South Africa to benefit from its tariff free opportunities. “Trump wants to renegotiate all trade agreements.”
He agreed that South Africa’s strategic minerals, including rare earths, were “definitely a card to play”, but strongly implied that the US would expect to have renewed access to these local minerals.
Pollak revealed a far more ambitious African agenda than had been made known, viewing the whole west coast of Africa as strategically important.
This would expand a policy developed under President Joe Biden, who improved US ties with Angola, supporting the restoration of the Lobito corridor as a west coast alternative line to Chinese rail links from mining areas to the east coast of Africa.
During the cold war, Angola was a close ally of the Soviet Union, which had military personnel assisting Angola, along with the Cubans.
Pollak commended Panama for ending its ties to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and suggested that African countries that wanted to do business with the US should do the same.
Trump is going to try to realign the politics of the whole world, Pollak said. “Africa is at the white heat of this realignment. He’ll take on BRICS, and go full guns blazing to take on China in Africa.”
Pollak sees China differently from Russia. He said the president wants to settle Ukraine quickly, and bring Russia back towards the West. And Iran “will be enemy number one.”
Pollak was remarkably blunt for someone in line for a diplomatic post.
On US aid to AIDS programmes in South Africa: “Why should the US pay while South Africa has money for military operations in the DRC? The US regards Rwanda as an ally. How is SA managing its own public funds?
“It might have been different if SA was willing to help the US in any way. South Africa has formidable diplomatic tools.”
He was equally blunt about his attitude if agreement with South Africa is not reached: “Bring the most highly skilled South Africans to the US. Leave the rest of the country to rot.”
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