South Africa and US have 'everything to gain'

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has asserted that South Africa and the United States of America have much to gain from working together.

The President was addressing South Africans through his weekly newsletter.

The President, together with a delegation including Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, visited the US last week.

‘Bound together in many ways’

“South Africa has always regarded the United States as a strong investment and trading partner.

“Our countries and our economies are bound together in many ways. We went to Washington to establish a basis for greater economic cooperation and to address some of the challenges that have recently arisen in relations between our two countries,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said.

Those challenges stem from a false narrative peddled by some that there is a genocide occurring in South Africa and what the President called an “orchestrated campaign of violence against white farmers”.

“In this context, it was critical for us to engage directly with the US administration to correct misinformation and provide a true account of the progress we have made as a democracy and the many and complex challenges we still face,” the President said on Monday.

Last week, police quarterly statistics revealed that over the last quarter of 2024/25, there were six farm attacks – down from 12 in the previous quarter.

The two farm owners killed in the attacks were African. Only one white farm dweller was involved in one of the attacks.

President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed that despite these challenges, the two countries also came to agreement regarding the G20.

“President Trump agreed that the US should continue playing a key role in the G20, including attending the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg later this year, where South Africa will hand over the presidency of the G20 to the US,” he said.

Trading partners

President Cyril Ramaphosa said that while discussions were held on that misinformation, the “overarching aim of our visit was to deepen our strategic economic partnership with the US as our second-largest trading partner”.

“The US is a key export market for South African goods, products and services, including motor vehicles, agricultural products and, increasingly, critical minerals. At the same time, we buy many goods and services from the US.

“There is potential to increase and diversify trade between our two countries in areas such as gas, mining and critical minerals, agriculture and nuclear products.

“The US is a major source of investment in South Africa. There are over 600 US companies, many with a long-established presence here, who continue to expand their investments,” he noted.

On the economic tariffs that the US has been touting for countries all over the world, President Ramaphosa revealed that the two countries agreed on an “economic cooperation channel” between the two countries in a bid to “engage further on tariffs and a broad range of trade matters”.

“We also discussed exploring new opportunities for companies from South Africa and the US in each other’s markets. We were able to update US officials on the ongoing structural reform process underway to improve the ease of doing business and facilitate a favourable investment climate.

“We are operating from a firm base. Last year’s country Investment Climate Summit published by the US State Department highlights South Africa being an attractive investment hub, citing key factors such as deep and well-regulated capital markets, strengths in manufacturing stable institutions, an independent judiciary and robust legal sector, respect for the rule of law, a mature financial and services sector, and experienced local partners.

“We have extended an invitation to President Trump to send a government and business delegation to South Africa to explore opportunities for deepening investment and trade,” he said.

The President reaffirmed that cooperation between the two countries “remains firmly in place more than 30 years later”.

“Our successful working visit to the US reaffirmed the importance of keeping the channels of dialogue open. The willingness of the US to engage with South Africa on resetting our relationship is testament to the strength of the bilateral relationship.

“As South Africans, as a sovereign and independent nation, we are always ready to acknowledge and address our problems, just as we are always ready to engage our critics in meaningful discussion.

“We are pleased that our visit to Washington established a basis for greater engagement and cooperation. Our two countries have everything to gain from working more closely together,” President Cyril Ramaphosa concluded.