South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has strongly defended the nation’s sovereignty as diplomatic tensions with the United States continue to escalate. ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe emphasized that South Africa is a free and independent country, not a province of the United States, and vowed that its sovereignty would be protected at all costs. His remarks come amid increasing friction following the US government’s criticism of South Africa’s new land expropriation law and accusations of racial discrimination.
Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order condemning South Africa’s land expropriation law, claiming it allowed the government to seize agricultural property from ethnic minority Afrikaners without compensation. Trump’s administration described the Afrikaners as victims of racial discrimination and opened the door for them to apply for refugee status in the United States. However, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended the law, stating that it ensures equitable and just access to land for all citizens in a country still grappling with the legacy of apartheid, where the white minority controls the majority of land and wealth.
Speaking on behalf of President Ramaphosa during South Africa’s Freedom Day celebration in Mpumalanga, Gwede Mantashe criticized South Africans who have encouraged foreign intervention against their own country. He said that those calling on Trump to punish South Africa should accept the opportunity to leave if they wished, pointing out the contradiction of demanding punishment yet refusing to seek asylum in the US when offered.
The tensions between the two nations have also played out online, with tech billionaire Elon Musk, a South African-born entrepreneur, accusing his home country’s ownership laws of being “racist” in posts on his X platform. Meanwhile, efforts to ease diplomatic tensions are underway, as South Africa recently appointed Mcebisi Jonas as a special envoy to Washington. Jonas is tasked with strengthening diplomatic, trade, and bilateral relations after the US expelled South Africa’s ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, following Rasool’s accusations of “dog-whistle” politics from the Trump administration.
Further complicating matters, a delegation from Orania, the whites-only separatist town in South Africa’s Northern Cape, visited the United States to seek recognition as an autonomous state. In response, Mantashe suggested integration rather than separation, proposing that Black South Africans should settle in Orania to promote unity and peace. He stressed that hatred could not withstand the forces of peace and reconciliation, stating, “It is peace that builds a nation.”
As South Africa faces mounting diplomatic pressure, Mantashe’s comments reflect a broader determination by the ANC to defend the nation’s autonomy and pursue social justice reforms despite international criticism. The government continues to walk a fine line between addressing historical injustices and maintaining critical international relationships, particularly as tensions with the United States show no sign of easing.
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