As Afrikaners responsible for a multimillion-dollar technology investment portfolio in the US, we believe our unique vantage point offers valuable insight into the evolving dynamic between the US and SA.
Over the past two months Alistair Ruiters, special adviser: investment promotion in the presidency, has played a pivotal role in positioning SA within striking distance of a landmark trade agreement.
This progress presents a rare opportunity to reset bilateral relations — not just to finalise a trade deal but to build on the momentum and pursue a bold and transformative investment accord that reflects the strategic ambitions of both nations.
Such a deal could serve as the cornerstone of a renewed partnership between the Trump administration and Pretoria, anchored in mutual interests, shared democratic values and long-term strategic co-operation.
When President Cyril Ramaphosa met US President Donald Trump on May 21 Trump had only met seven other heads of state. The SA president spent a full morning and working lunch with Trump, giving SA a head start in global trade negotiations.
At the outset Trump struck a personal tone, recalling his longstanding friendships with South Africans, including three Afrikaners who were present in the room. He stated clearly, “We can help, and we want to help.”
Trade talks despite rural safety concerns
Despite raising serious concerns about rural safety and farm murders in SA, he immediately tasked senior officials to lead the trade negotiations. The White House soon communicated its requirements for a deal — covering tariff and non-tariff barriers— both in writing to SA officials and directly to visiting delegations such as the Afrikaner group led by FF+ leader Corné Mulder.
From there the conversation quickly expanded beyond immediate trade concerns. The White House emphasised a rare opportunity to execute a spectacular reset, one that anchors the economic relationship between the two countries in the strategic reality of the moment: critical minerals.
We believe SA has an opportunity to support the US in building resilient supply chains for the technologies that will define the next 30 years — semiconductors, batteries, aerospace and defence. The US needs trusted partners that can deliver both critical minerals and processing at scale. As one of the most mineral-rich nations in Africa and with one of the continent’s most industrialised economies, SA has all the potential to be that partner.
Rebuilding trust
SA may need to recalibrate aspects of its US policy. A reset in relations with Washington could begin by constructively addressing US concerns regarding Pretoria’s positions on Israel and Taiwan. Domestically, prioritising transparent investigations into farm murders would signal a commitment to the rule of law and human rights.
On the investment front, SA could exempt US investors from mandatory BEE requirements, instead encouraging adherence to a voluntary investment code. Reviving and modernising the Sullivan Principles, originally developed to guide US corporate conduct during the apartheid era, could offer a credible framework for ethical and inclusive investment that allows for broad-based upliftment of black communities.
Pairing this with a US–SA security technology partnership, as advocated by Johann Rupert in the May White House meeting, would secure mines, refineries, ports and logistics with best-in-class US platforms for surveillance, data analytics and law enforcement support.
Collaboration should also extend to tackling the global drug syndicates that are devastating communities in both countries and to joint efforts against smuggling, illicit finance and border corruption. Shared digital platforms for cargo monitoring can make trade corridors more secure, lower risk premiums and unlock new investment.
At the heart of a new deal would be a pact on critical minerals. SA could open strategic access to exploration, mining and especially refining of platinum group metals, manganese, vanadium, rare earths and titanium.
The US could match this with long‑term offtake commitments, targeted reserve build programmes at the departments of defence and energy, and financing for processing capacity that goes beyond resource headlines to actual throughput.
A Joburg-based critical minerals exchange hub linked to US commodity markets could price, hedge and de-risk flows. The strategic payoff would be immediate: the US secures trusted supplies for EVs, aircraft and advanced manufacturing, while SA positions itself as a global processing and trading hub — not just a mine pit at the end of another country’s value chain.
Saldanha corridor
We are advocating that the focal point of this minerals pact could be a secure prosperity corridor centred in Saldanha Bay. With direct access to the Atlantic Ocean and a potential link to the Lobito Corridor connecting Zambia and Angola, Saldanha is well-positioned to become a strategic hub for trans-Atlantic trade and mineral processing.
The construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal would enable the import of US gas, strengthening SA’s energy security. Combined with power from Koeberg and a proposed small modular reactor build, the region could support energy-intensive industries such as data centres within the existing special economic zone. This integrated infrastructure would position Saldanha as a US-led investment gateway into Southern Africa.
Five enabling pillars
To reinforce this minerals-first strategy, five enabling pillars can accelerate and deepen investment:
- US LNG imports and private‑equity‑led coal refinancing can provide reliable megawatts for smelters and refineries. Energy stability translates directly into jobs while offering attractive returns for US investors.
- Africa is ripe for partaking in the cryptocurrency boom. With SA boasting a sophisticated financial services sector, the country is well placed to pioneer mineral-backed digital assets. Tokenised offtake contracts and traceability tools can reduce financing friction while giving regulators and manufacturers the transparency they demand.
- A $20bn investment commitment by SA’s Public Investment Corporation (PIC) into US agriculture could establish a two‑way skills pipeline for American and SA farmers, focusing on AI and automation. Food security and rural development will reinforce social stability in remote communities.
- US firms such as Oracle and Starlink can provide cloud infrastructure, telemedicine and broadband to rural mining communities. Affordable healthcare and connectivity are productivity enablers and key to poverty reduction.
- A US–Africa–Middle East hub for mining technology supply chain traceability and AI‑driven monitoring will draw investment from US private equity firms and Gulf sovereign wealth funds. Optimising recovery rates, cutting downtime and delivering verifiable data would secure long-term offtake agreements.
Investment returns
A minerals‑first deal offers spectacular returns. For SA it could lift GDP by $40bn and create about 500,000 jobs across mining, processing, energy, logistics and services. The fixed investment rate would rise from 15% to 25%, enabling growth of 5% per year and halving unemployment over time. Such a transformation would stabilise SA and secure democracy.
For the US, direct gains from minerals, LNG exports, technology deployments and agricultural investments could exceed $75bn. Added to this is the strategic dividend of supply chain resilience and the geopolitical advantage of trusted sourcing. In a world of concentrated risks, resilience itself is an asset class. Such outcomes would justify reducing SA’s general tariff rate to 10% and keeping its privileges under the African Growth & Opportunities Act.
The US is in a race to rebuild industrial capacity without importing strategic vulnerabilities. SA requires investment, reliable power and expanded global market access to turn world-class geology into middle-class prosperity. A minerals‑centred pact solves both problems. It directs capital to processing infrastructure that matters, protects it with modern security tech, finances it with innovative tools, powers it with pragmatic energy, and staffs it with skilled workers supported by healthcare and connectivity.
The government of national unity and the SA private sector now have a unique opportunity. With an open door to the White House, now is the time to secure a spectacular deal with the Trump administration, one that can deliver prosperity for South Africans and Americans alike for generations to come.
• Pienaar is the founder and CEO, and Opperman is the head of government relations for C5 Capital.
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