SA’s delegation to the US, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, presented a united front during a heated exchange with US President Donald Trump, who repeatedly ambushed the South Africans with unsubstantiated claims of “white genocide” in the country.
The exchange began on a cordial note with Trump praising SA golfers, while Ramaphosa highlighted trade and critical minerals.
But the tone shifted abruptly when Trump played a video purporting to show evidence of white farmer killings. The footage, featuring Julius Malema chanting “Kill the farmer, kill the boer”, and a desolate road, flanked by rows of stark white crosses, framed the issue as one of mass killings.
Ramaphosa — flanked by ministers in the cabinet, influential SA business people such as Johann Rupert, and golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen — remained largely expressionless. As the video ended, Trump turned to a stack of printed articles detailing farm murders.
But Ramaphosa pushed back against the genocide claims by Trump, reiterating that crime disproportionately affects black South Africans.
The political theatre-laced diplomatic exchange underscores the deepening friction between the two countries and sets the stage for a high-stakes, closed-door meeting to repair trade and political ties.
The allegations have been central to an executive order issued by Trump in February, cutting funding to SA aimed at punishing the country.
“Our government policy is completely against what he was saying even in the parliament and they’re a small minority party which is allowed to exist in terms of our constitution,” Ramaphosa said in response to a video showing EFF leader Julius Malema chanting “Kill the boer, kill the farmer”.
Given comments by Trump and other US politicians about alleged discrimination against white farmers and minorities in SA, the meeting was a platform for strategic damage control between SA and its second-largest trading partner.
Bringing influential white business leaders allowed Ramaphosa to challenge or neutralise Trump’s narrative, signalling that white people remain integral to the country’s economy and society.
Minister of agriculture John Steenhuisen, Rupert, Els and Retief assured Trump that despite the high crime levels in SA, it affects all races and that SA values the US as a key trade and diplomatic partner.
Steenhuisen referenced the formation of the government of national unity as a pushback against Malema’s chants, saying “we’ve decided to join hands precisely to keep that lot out of government”.
“We need Starlink at every little police station. We need drones ... we need your help to stop this awful killing,” Rupert said, emphasising the high crime rate and inviting Elon Musk’s satellite service company to operate in the country.
“The crime is terrible. Mr Steenhuisen won’t admit to it, but he runs the Western Cape where I live, and the biggest murder rate is in the Cape Flats gangs,” Rupert said.
Goosen mentioned that the high crime rate forced his family to live behind electric fences.
The recently appointed presidential envoy to the US, Mcebisi Jonas, is in London and was not in the room during Wednesday’s meeting but was involved in the preparations, according to Ramaphosa’s office.
“Mr Jonas has been involved in the preparations leading up to the meeting between President Ramaphosa and President Trump. His absence from Washington has no consequence to the president’s programme,” Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, told Business Day.
The US has slashed aid to SA and granted refugee status to a group of white South Africans, citing racial discrimination. The move adds to tensions as SA officials and exporters grow concerned the US Congress may let the African Growth & Opportunity Act expire in September. The lapse would jeopardise tariff-free access for key exports in agriculture, petrochemicals and cars.
On concerns that Trump might not attend the G20 leaders’ summit that is scheduled to be held in Johannesburg in November, Ramaphosa said the US originated the G20 and it is important that the US “continues to play a key role”.
Trump did not commit to attending the summit, where SA is due to hand over the presidency of the multilateral body to the US.
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