When all else fails, what do South Africans turn to? Sport. According to reports, the South African president has done his due dilligence when Ramaphosa meets Trump on Wednesday.
According to reports, Ramaphosa is taking some unlikely reinforcements with him to the White House.
Prominent South Africans, including billionaire Johann Rupert and golfing legends Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, are expected to accompany Ramaphosa as part of his official delegation.
Rupert has been credited for facilitating the meeting between Ramaphosa and Trump. Els and Goosen meanwhile have been included as a strategic move – to appeal to Trump’s love of golf.
Rupert – South Africa’s richest businessman – has known Donald Trump since the 90s and has played golf with Trump and Els.
“Ernie Els was actually the person who, over the past month talked Trump into agreeing to the meeting,” Rupert told reporters in the U.S.
Ramaphosa meets Trump: Cyril channels Madiba Magic
While the golfing royalty are being used to play into Trump’s love for the sport, it may not protect Ramaphosa from a Zelensky-Style ambush.
The wide-ranging meeting is expected to cover some prickly topics, including trade tariffs and a so-called “white genocide” that welcomed 49 Afrikaner refugees into the Land of the Free.
Nonetheless, the South African president was feeling bullish upon his arrival in Washington.
“I’m looking forward to a really good and positive meeting, and we’re looking forward to a very good outcome for our country, for our people, for the jobs in our country and good trade relations and [normalising] relations between our two countries,” Ramaposa told journalists in D.C.
How do you think the talks will go?
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