The relationship between South Africa and the United States has significantly improved despite our involvement in Brics, which aims to overtake the US in global trade.
President Cyril Ramaphosa this week confirmed receiving a fruitful call from US President Joe Biden that discussed economic growth, job creation and social development in the seventh administration.
On Friday, newly appointed Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, tweeted that he had received “a courtesy call from (US) Secretary [of State] [Antony] Blinken, who welcomed me. We both reaffirmed our commitment to expanding bilateral relations between our nations as well as global peace and security”.
Kagiso “TK” Pooe, public policy specialist at the Wits School of Governance, said it was not the norm to receive a congratulatory call from another president, especially the US, and considered the call a strategic move by the US.
He said the two countries still had a savoury relationship influenced by various events, including one where the US had accused SA of exporting military cargo via Russian vessel, Lady R, for the invasion of Ukraine.
The US had stood as a firm supporter of Ukraine from the beginning of the war and recently pledged $2.3-billion to assist with new security and ammunition needed at this stage.
SA has a historic relationship and firm bond with Russia, outside Brics+. Russia supported the liberation struggle against apartheid and had provided military support in the armed struggle.
Pooe said the US-SA relationship was not yet firm considering the Lady R accusations and their different standings on the Israeli war on Gaza.
In March, the US House of Representatives discussed US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act, which aims to review the bilateral relationship between the two countries. This bill zooms into the advent of democracy in 1994 and is aimed at clarifying the country’s position and misperceptions about foreign policy.
SA has stated a non-aligned position in its international relations but the US has accused the ANC government of building military and political ties with Russia and China.
“There are high points but also tensions will occur. The US is not yet ready to accept that countries like South Africa do not prefer to have an approach that interacts with all parties, even those hostile to the SA,” said Pooe.
He said South Africa had mastered the art of forging relationships with countries that differ in their political views, and while Brics+ had the ambition to overtake the US dollar, SA had been moderate in promoting it.
Economic strategist Mandla Maleka advised that South Africa would need to remain neutral and not jeopardise its relationship with BRICS+ allied countries. He said different US presidents treated the country differently and the SA-China relationship was growing rapidly.
“SA is in a position that it cannot be forced to choose friends particularly when there is a political impasse between the two. SA in World War Two joined forces with Allied Nations and thus proved itself as independent and always chooses the side that is more reasonable.
“So, I do not think our relationships with both China and Russia are at risk. China is lending SA more funding denominated in dollars, almost saying that we will get the dollars despite US markets closing ranks,” said Maleka.
He said the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), a US Trade Act, had highly benefited the South African economy, citing that over five of the top 10 agriculture products benefit from the product in Western Cape.
He said Agoa had successfully allowed several SA manufactured products to enter the US markets duty-free and create employment in the country.
He said the arguments that South Africa would be excluded from Agoa in favour of other African countries would equally not be beneficial to the US.
“US needs SA on the many products that benefit SA so is US retrospectively benefiting from allowing SA goods to enter US duty free. Small as SA is, it can easily replace the US with China and Russia on the goods and services should SA be deemed ineligible to qualify for benefits under Agoa. So, the US would have to tread carefully. Agoa is mutually beneficial,” said Maleka
