ICYMI: South Africa and The United States of America Have Had a Conflict-Ridden 2025: A Timeline of Diplomatic Tensions and Strained Relations

 

By Qotoyi Xolani 

January 2025:

January 23: South Africa enacts the Expropriation Act, allowing land expropriation without compensation under specific conditions.

February 2025:

Early February: AfriForum and the trade union Solidarity send delegations to Washington, D.C., to voice concerns over South Africa’s land reform policies. They meet with U.S. officials, advocating for targeted sanctions against corrupt South African officials rather than broad economic measures that could harm ordinary citizens.

February 7: President Donald Trump issues Executive Order 14204, suspending U.S. aid to South Africa. The order cites concerns over land reform policies and South Africa’s foreign alliances, particularly its legal actions against Israel and relations with Iran. Additionally, Trump offers refugee status to Afrikaners, citing alleged racial discrimination.

February 9: The Afrikaner community largely declines Trump’s offer of refugee status, expressing a desire to remain in South Africa.

February 15: Afrikaner groups gather at the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria to thank President Trump and Elon Musk for their interest in South African affairs.

Late February: President Cyril Ramaphosa condemns AfriForum and Solidarity’s actions in the U.S., labeling them as “unpatriotic” and accusing them of undermining South Africa’s sovereignty.

March 2025:

March 14: South African Ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, criticizes the Trump administration during a webinar, labeling its policies as a “white supremacist response” to increasing diversity.

March 15: In response to Rasool’s remarks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declares the ambassador “persona non grata,” effectively expelling him from the U.S.

March 17: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expresses regret over the expulsion and emphasizes the importance of mending relations with the U.S., acknowledging it as a key trading partner.

The trajectory of U.S.-South Africa relations will largely depend on forthcoming diplomatic engagements and each nation’s willingness to address the underlying issues contributing to the current discord.