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The South African
2 days ago
- Politics
- The South African
US lists FOUR demands of South Africa, including condemnation of 'Kill the Boer'
The United States government has outlined a set of preconditions that it wants met before fully normalising bilateral relations with South Africa. These demands were communicated to a visiting delegation of Afrikaner leaders during a high-level meeting with senior White House officials. The delegation, made up of Freedom Front Plus leader Dr Corné Mulder, Southern African Agri Initiative chairman Dr Theo de Jager, and National Employers' Association of South Africa CEO Gerhard Papenfus, met with representatives from the Office of the US Vice President, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council. During the meeting, US officials emphasised that improving relations will depend on South Africa addressing four key issues : The US wants the South African government to officially classify farm attacks as a priority crime, on par with crimes like rhino poaching and cash-in-transit heists. They said that each incident should be handled by elite investigative units such as the Hawks, and warned that the current lack of urgency sends the wrong message about rural safety and human rights. American officials called for a clear, public condemnation by the ANC of the chant 'Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer,' which they described as inciting violence, regardless of whether it is expressed in song or speech. The US stressed the importance of promoting inclusive rhetoric to foster social cohesion. The US reaffirmed its stance that land expropriation must include fair market compensation and follow full legal processes. Officials noted concern about property rights and investor confidence, saying that land reform must be conducted in a transparent, lawful, and non-discriminatory manner. Another demand is that US companies be exempt from Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies that impose race-based requirements. According to the officials, BEE regulations function as non-tariff trade barriers and should not be imposed on American entities doing business in South Africa. Following the meeting, the Afrikaner delegation expressed their support for improved US-South Africa relations and committed to conveying the US administration's expectations to both the South African public and government. They said that these preconditions had been raised with South African authorities multiple times before but had not yet been adequately addressed. Context and implications This development comes at a sensitive time for South Africa's foreign relations, particularly in light of ongoing criticism regarding rural safety, land reform, and the country's affirmative action policies. The White House's strong messaging suggests that unless these concerns are resolved, bilateral cooperation – especially in trade, investment, and diplomatic areas – may remain strained. Analysts suggest this may also affect South Africa's standing in US-Africa trade programmes and its broader geopolitical positioning, particularly as the global focus shifts toward more rights-based and investor-friendly governance models. The South African government is expected to respond to these concerns in the coming weeks. Whether it engages with these demands could determine the future strength of US-South African ties – and how both countries navigate mutual economic and political interests going forward. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
DW
21-05-2025
- Politics
- DW
South Africa's Ramaphosa visits Trump amid strained ties – DW – 05/21/2025
South Africa's government has said it hopes this working visit to the US will help "reset" relations with the Trump administration. Beyond that, it also wants to set the record straight on various issues raised by Trump as justification for worsening relations. The Trump administration has made several unfounded allegations, including saying that white farmers are being killed in a "genocide" and alleging that their land is being stolen due to a new expropriation law that is yet to be implemented. Afrikaner lobby groups such as Afriforum have actively engaged with Trump since his first presidency, lobbying for action against the South African government. However, even Afriforum was surprised by Trump's decision to grant these groups refugee status. Trump's comments have caused a lot of concern in different sectors in South Africa and many South Africans want the government to set the record straight on these issues. Last week, I attended South Africa's largest agricultural expo, Nampo, and spoke to Dr. Theo de Jager, president of the Southern African Agri Alliance. He said while farm murder is a major concern, it cannot be equated to genocide as Trump has done. "This is not a genocide. We know what a genocide is. We have seen it in Rwanda," he said. De Jager added that farm murder is a serious concern for the farming community, and they want Trump to push the South African government to act. "We want the government to acknowledge that we have a problem, and when they acknowledge that, we want them to set up a special task team to plan with us to prevent this," he said.
