Fisticuffs or a firm handshake?
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and US President Trump are scheduled to “discuss issues of bilateral, regional and global interest” at the White House this week. The conference comes as two administrations grow, backed by reduced US aid and misconceptions of South Africa’s controversial land reform laws, sparking the latest moves by Trump and his South African-born advisors, as well as the latest moves to grant asylum to white African farmers described as “victims of genocide.”
It is also the first time a new US government has hosted African leaders in the White House since Trump took office in January 2025.
The story of land reform and the “white genocide”
Tensions have risen since Trump returned to the White House in 2025. Driven by the amplification of his “white genocide” story, musk reflected. Trump said “something bad is happening” in South Africa, claiming that white African farmers are facing persecution and violence.
It has been a week since the US welcomed more than 40 South Africans, not long after he announced his asylum for Africans.
The South African government said there was no evidence of persecution and Trump and other “genocide” statements were unfounded. Many African groups, such as the Afriforum and the Solidarity Movement, have rejected Trump’s offer and expressed their commitment to staying in South Africa.
“As South Africans, we are resilient. We don’t run away from the problem. We have to stay here and solve the problem. When you run away, you are a co-ill person and that’s a real co-ill act.”
Musk’s impact and false news
The mask has even muddied the water – his chatbot Grok, developed by his company Xai, has sparked criticism for repeatedly injecting false and racially charged claims about South Africa into unrelated conversations on X (formerly Twitter).
Users found that Grok responded to X’s unrelated prompts by repeatedly lifting the suspected theory of “white genocide” in South Africa, prompting confusion and criticism of its actions. The story continues to be widely disproved by the national government and courts.
Groke’s single-minded focus on South Africa came when the Trump administration began offering refugee status to white farmers.
Some Grok users are wondering whether Musk’s AI is programmed with “specific” political bias.
Award-winning South African journalist Qaanitah Hunter wrote to X: Redi Tlhabi, a South African media personality and international consultant, wrote: “There is no doubt that disinformation campaigns against South Africa are well planned and coordinated. If their claims are true, this level of manipulation is not necessary. Right-wing racism is fighting against all the tools available.”
The thread that followed under Tlhabi’s post has sparked biased debate about the South African “white genocide” story, sparked by Grok’s misinformation, and some users like Jacques Prinsloo Breytenbach are useful for the geopolitical agenda, while others like free Induna dismiss it as if they were dumped by “left-backed nuts.”
Economic impacts – Aid reductions, tariffs, trade relations
Trump’s economic policies have had a serious impact on South Africa. His executive order in February accused the government of halting aid to South Africa, unfairly confiscating property and enabling policies that could treat “a certain class of people very badly.”
These funding cuts have significantly disrupt life-saving HIV and AIDS programs. South Africa, the world’s largest HIV+ population, relies on the US for around 18% of its HIV budget, receiving $462 million in aid in 2023 alone. Some programs remain suspended while funding is recovering, while organizations and patients face uncertainty and threaten to reverse years of progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Trade relations are also in danger. In April, the US imposed a 30% tariff on all South African goods, adding a 25% tariff on South African vehicles, bringing the gross vehicle surcharge to 55%. Ramaphosa called these actions “punitive” and was detrimental to “fair trade and shared prosperity.”
The status of Africa’s Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in South Africa has emerged for reviews, exerting economic pressure on diplomatic tensions. It remains unclear whether the Trump administration will continue the Agoa framework that affects more than 30 African countries.
Important precursors for the G20 Summit
The Ramaphosa-Trump conference will set the tone of US engagement at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. South Africa sees the summit as an opportunity to shine as a leader in the global South, but its success depends on the outcome of the Trump Ramaphosa Conference.
Trump’s decision to boycott the Johannesburg Summit, reported by the Mail & Guardian, along with previous snubs by Secretary Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent, ordered the US National Security Council as the US National Security Council ordered South Africa’s G20 preparations to halt preparations. However, Minister Ntshavheni said official communication regarding the US withdrawal has not been received and that the South African government is aware of the alleged ban on reporting.
However, Rubio and Trump both threatened to boycott the main event, criticising the land expropriation law, referring to the “white genocide” against Africans in South Africa. In February this year, Rubio snapped a G20 run-up event in Cape Town, urging political analysts to say that if the US does not attend the summit, they will raise China’s position, particularly with controversial decisions on the threat of US tariffs and trade wars. The US is the only G20 Member Nation that threatens to boycott the event.
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Like the International Court of Justice’s position on Israel and Ukraine, the South African government’s stance on global issues further complicates relations with the United States.
A South African lawyers team claims Israel is committed to genocide in Gaza in front of the ICJ, with the US supplying Israel with arms and they are allies. South Africa’s Ramaphosa also hosted Ukrainian President Voldy Mie Zelensky in a Union building in Pretoria, marking the first official visit from the Ukrainian head of state to South Africa, and Trump’s meeting with Zelensky ended with a sour note.
In April, the US expelled South African ambassador Ebrahim Lasor as a US ambassador for his criticism of Trump.
In addition to these tensions, Ramaphosa was the president of the African National Congress, which won the country’s first democratic election in 1994, and a historic ally of the Soviet Union of Socialist Republics (USSR). The democratic South African government relations with Russia grew after the Soviet division and now, together with India, Brazil and China, have established members of the growing BRICS Economic Alliance.
Ramaphosa will head to the US on President Trump’s invitation, Minister Ntshavheni said, and is confident that the South African government “is coming from a good place.” But the path ahead looks challenging as both countries try to navigate the issues of controversy over land reform, trade, aid reductions and global partnerships.
Edited by Juanita Williams
