The Trump administration turned to South Africa for it’s next public bashing amidst “discriminatory” land reforms.
Tensions between the United States and South Africa became public after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he would not be attending the upcoming G20 foreign ministers’ meeting held on the 20th February in Johannesburg this month.
The latest boycott raises concerns about the direction of the G20 grouping and U.S.-South Africa relations amidst a broader pan-African backlash to Western intervention in West Africa and USAID withdrawal.
U.S. Concern Over Land Reforms
Rubio’s boycott of the G20 summit is rooted in his opposition to South Africa’s land expropriation laws, which allow the government to take land from private owners without compensation.
Therefore, the U.S. government frowns on such policies, which infringe on private property rights deemed to amount to ‘reverse racism’ by some neo-conservatives in the U.S.
Such comments draw on the ongoing questionon how to redress historical land imbalances arising from the country’s apartheid past:
According to the World Bank, about 10 percent of the population in South Africa controls 80 percent of the wealth.
As a proponent of such beliefs, President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw $440 million in aid funds to South Africa if Pretoria continues its policy.
Trump’s Logic on South Africa: ICJ Case & Starlink
Trump’s logic on South Africa didn’t emerge out of a vacuum.
One strand of thinking dates back to Pretoria’s case at the International Court of Justice. Pretoria galvanised public opinion, especially amongst the Global South, on it’s legal case at the ICJ accusing Israel of “genocide”. The case received domestic backlash amongst GOP lawmkers in D.C.
The latest row can also be interpreted from Elon Musk's personal fallout with South Africa citing it's "openly racist remarks".
Reports familar with Musk’s dealings in Africa, told sources that Musk would have to provide at least 30 per cent of the equity in the project to black-owned businesses in exchange for a license. This policy aligns with Pretoria’s Black Empowerment laws.
South African-born billionaire Musk, who is close to Trump, said that white South Africans have been the victims of “racist ownership laws.”
To the Trump administration, the debate over the land seizure law is a fully-fledged violation of international norms; Rubio’s boycott of the G20 summit can be interpreted as a high-profile protest.
South Africa Pushes Back on Land Reforms
In response to the U.S. criticism, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has taken a firm stance, insisting that the country “will not be bullied” into altering its land reform laws.
Ramaphosa indicated that land redistribution is an essential means of tackling some of the deep-seated inequalities that still plague the country from the apartheid period.
Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola further defended the land expropriation initiatives, affirming that they are designed to enable marginalised communities to acquire land ownership. Lamola dismissed suggestions that these measures are anti-American while reiterating South Africa’s persistence in balancing participation at the international level with fairness.
Lamola’s statements symbolise South Africa’s determination to pursue its domestic policies notwithstanding external pressures from foreign governments like the United States.
Impact of Land Reforms: G20 Diplomacy & Bilateral Relations
The U.S. decision to skip the G20 meeting will likely have significant diplomatic consequences.
South Africa is the US’s largest trading partner in Africa, with $9.3bn worth of US exports going to South Africa in 2022. About 600 US businesses operate in the country.
South Africa’s increasing alignment with nations like China, which has supported the country’s G20 leadership, could lead to a further shift to China and Russia amidst the latest rift.
Chinese finance programs in Africa coupled with Beijing’s support for issues such as the Palestinian question, highlight American selectiveness on any “rules-based order”, reaffirming preconceptions of American foreign policy on the continent.
The Global South’s increasing alignment with China and Russia, at the loss of the U.S. and it’s Western allies, will be a key area to watch at the upcoming G20 summit as will Musk’s potential breakthrough with South Africa should Ramaphosa concede on licensing Stargate.
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