By Khumbudzo Ntshavheni

During President Ramaphosa’s recent working visit to the USA on the invitation of President Trump, AfriForum had definitely wished for a different treatment of our President or at the least a different outcome of the meeting. However, wishes are not horse or else beggars will be riding.

Let me address a few themes about the visit that do not support attempts by AfriForum to keep themselves relevant. 

1. On diplomatic courtesies accorded to President Ramaphosa: I have been part of a few delegations that have accompanied President Ramaphosa to the US. I must indicate, this working visit is one of those where better diplomatic courtesies were accorded to our President. From the reception at the airport and at the White House itself. As I have pointed out during the Post-Cabinet media briefing, President Ramaphosa was a guest of President Trump and the treatment accorded was that of a valued guest.

2. ⁠An acknowledgment of South Africa as an important player in geopolitics: President Ramaphosa is the first African Head of State and Government to be invited to the White House in this second term of the Trump administration. It is not only the significance of the invitation that matters, it is the issues the two leaders discussed beyond South Africa’s domestic issues. We should recall that during President Zelensky’s working visit to South Africa, Presidents Ramaphosa and Trump compared notes on their approaches towards ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict.  During the media session at the Oval Office, President Trump took the opportunity to update President Ramaphosa on the progress on his Russia/ Ukraine conflict settlement initiative. To which President Ramaphosa emphasised the role South Africa continues to play in also seeking a negotiated settlement to that conflict. 

It must be remembered that during President Zelensky working visit to South Africa, Presidents Ramaphosa and Trump telephonically compared notes on their approaches to ending that war. Furthermore, on this working visit to the White House, President Trump also updated President Ramaphosa on the US efforts to settle the DRC/ Rwanda conflict. In diplomatic terms, this is another acknowledgment that any peace initiatives in Africa cannot exclude South Africa. Equally, President Ramaphosa updated him on the confidence building measures as driven by SADC and the EAC towards a negotiated settlement for peace in the eastern DRC.

3. ⁠Decorum of the Engagements: Both at the Oval Office and during the luncheon discussions, the engagements were both cordial and respectful. There were no signs of the impatience the world had witnessed during other recent visits to the White House. Conspicuously, President Trump was not on babysitting duties of his favourite toddlers. I must confess though, that President Trump just loves children and Minister Steenhuisen benefitted a copy of baby John-John’s photo hiding in The Resolute Desk whilst his father President JFK worked in the Oval Office.  Even during the media interactions, except for the rowdy media, there was no butting-in from our US counterparts but everyone spoke when invited to do so. Whereas President Ramaphosa was allowed space to make his points without any rude interruptions (I can imagine a big disappointment to the AfriForum). 

4. ⁠ The revealing Q & A with the media: The most significant revelations that President Trump suspected he was being fed a dummy by AfriForum and their ilk that sought to gaslight South Africa came during the Q&A. I will only focus on those questions asked that had to do with South Africa. When one journalist sought to light the fire under South Africa on its ICJ case against Israel, it was President Trump who was very clear that he has no expectations on South Africa as the Court must adjudicate the matter (that noise shut). When asked if he has made up his mind about white genocide in South Africa, he was equally clear that he has not made up his mind but just needs explanations on what has been shared with him regarding those claims (I will come back to this point). 

5. On the videos shown: Of course South Africans and the rest of the world know that the videos of Julius Malema and Mr Jacob Zuma chanting historical struggle songs are dated and that the AfriForum supported by the DA lost a court case to ban the sing of the “Kill the Boer” slogan at the Concourt, and as Tshidi Madia put it during her CNN interview – South Africans are conversing about the relevance of such songs except for their historical significance. But most stunning of the lies fed to President Trump is the claim that Malema and Zuma are part of present day government of South Africa. Of course, President Ramaphosa was on hand to explain how the SA Constitution and parliamentary system works. He also emphasised that the Freedom Charter as adopted by the ANC in 1955 envisaged a South Africa that belongs to all who live in it, black and white and that these are some of the ideals we continue to be guided by in our governance of the country. Of course, Minister John Steenhuisen was on hand to explain why the DA choose to accept an invitation of the ANC to join the GNU ala carte in a true politician style.  The final nails to the AfriForum misinformation were hammered in by Mr Johan Rupert (wealthiest South African outside of Elon Musk) and Ms Zingiswa Losi of COSATU. Mr Rupert supported by police crime statistics and his lived experience confirmed the highest crime area in South Africa is the Cape Flats were the DA governs and not farm murders and also blamed former President Zuma for stopping the deployment of technology by business to fight crime. Ms Losi explained the horrors experienced by women and children in the rural areas of South Africa who are victims of crime. Whereas Ernie Els confirmed the Government-Business Partnership that is focused on addressing challenges confronting South Africa which initiatives must be supported. 

When President Ramaphosa wrapped up on this matter, he emphasised what is known and acknowledged by all South Africans that we have a crime challenge that the security cluster must more than double their efforts in addressing for the safety of all South Africans. On the memorial crosses that were beamed, News24 has already factchecked this but the lack of gadgets at that session disabled me to relay the location and context of that memorial crosses to the President as the SSA conveyed to me during the video show. Should the SSA have anticipated that display given that Elon tweeted about it on 14th May, most definitely and it is an area that the SSA must never fail the President on their briefing to him again. On the alleged forensic pathologists clearing a murder scene, all South Africans know the uniform of our forensic pathologists and has no red crosses at the back. Those were images of incidents in Goma in the DRC. The full footage of that video has been relayed to the team in the White House. 

6. On the G20: When asked if he will come to South Africa for the G20? President Ramaphosa set the tone of explaining that the G20 as much as the G7 platforms were initiated by the US amongst other countries and SA must handover the G20 Presidency in November 2025 to the US. President Trump was very clear that the G20 like the G7 are important platforms and there can never be a G20 without the US.  So should we prepare for President Trump in SA for the G20 in South Africa? Most definitely, at a minimum he has committed to a round of golf with President Ramaphosa and his favourite SA golfers.

7. ⁠Do we have The Deal: The final details of the deal will be concluded by our joint teams, however the broad strokes as communicated by Minister Parks Tau at the President’s wrap-up briefing are there: 

7.1 Critical Minerals -SA is a crucial supplier of raw materials to many US supply-chains. Both countries will collaborate on investment in critical minerals, recognizing SA’s developed processing capabilities to promote value-added trade. This includes the establishment of a Joint Fund for exploration.

7.2 LNG – SA will import 75 – 100 PJ (petajoules) per annum for 10 years of LNG gas from the US which will unlock approximately $900 million to US1.2 billion in trade per annum and US$9 billion  – US$12 billion for ten years based on applicable price. This will be complemented with US investment in gas infrastructure in SA. SA will work with the US to explore areas of cooperation in key technologies, including fracking technology to unlock production of gas in SA. SA and US will negotiate an arrangement to facilitate LNG imports from the US at the appropriate price. This will not replace our current suppliers of gas but complement those supplies.

7.3 A duty-free quota of 40000 vehicles per annum for the autos sector and duty-free access for automotive components sourced from SA for automotive production in the US.

 7.4 A duty-free quota of 385 million kg for steel per annum and of 132 million kg of aluminium per annum.

So what difficulties does the SA government foresee? The next round of AGOA negotiations are going to be very tough and unfortunately the biggest losers in South Africa if AGOA is canned or 32 participating African countries get less favourable terms  will be white farmers courtesy of AfriForum. The biggest beneficiary of AGOA in South Africa is white farmers. Around that dinner table, President Ramaphosa’s message was not just about South Africa but SACU, SADC and the AfCFTA. As the largest economy in the African continent, we understand that our responsibility is not only to ourselves but our development is intricately linked to the development of our region (SADC) and the entire African continent. 

On a lighter note, I learnt more about golf at that dinner table than all the years that I boosted a 15-handicap (no invitation for rounds of golf please). I also witnessed sports diplomacy at play. 

But most of all, the reset of relations between South Africa and the United States opens up an opportunity to advance South Africa’s economic development and job creation agenda in a manner that is mutually beneficial with our United States counterparts.  Despite the challenges, we are on a firm footing. 

*Khumbudzo Ntshavheni is the Member of Parliament, Minister in The Presidency, and Spokesperson of Cabinet