ANC Defends South Africa's Sovereignty Amid Rising US Tensions

A senior ANC official asserts South Africa's sovereignty as tensions rise with the US over a controversial land law, with President Trump condemning it as discriminatory.

 

In a strong statement reflecting escalating tensions between South Africa and the United States, Gwede Mantashe, the chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC), firmly defended his country’s sovereignty. Mantashe made his remarks during South Africa's Freedom Day celebrations, asserting that the nation is "not a province of the United States" and that it is committed to defending its autonomy, especially in light of recent criticisms from US President Donald Trump regarding South Africa's new land expropriation legislation.

The controversial expropriation law allows the South African government to seize land without compensation, a move that Trump has characterized as a potential means to unfairly target ethnic minority landowners, particularly Afrikaners. Trump’s executive order from February describes these farmers as "victims of unjust racial discrimination," further complicating bilateral relations, and he has encouraged them to seek asylum in the United States.

Mantashe criticized South Africans advocating for US punishment of their homeland, stating those who wish to flee should simply leave for the US. He presented a staunch defense of the law, insisting that it aims for equitable public access to land, despite public outcry from some sectors of the population.

The social media platform X, owned by Elon Musk, has also become a battleground for these issues, with Musk labeling current ownership laws "racist." Whiteness remains a contentious topic in post-apartheid South Africa, with the legacy of land ownership still heavily skewed in favor of white South Africans, despite widespread political changes over the years.

In response to the ongoing diplomatic strains, South Africa appointed a special envoy, Mcebisi Jonas, to Washington to strengthen ties and address trade priorities. This appointment follows the expulsion of South Africa's ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, who had previously implicated Trump in utilizing divisive political rhetoric. As tensions escalate, both nations are navigating a complex landscape influenced by historical inequalities and contemporary political dynamics.