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US president Donald Trump is putting pressure on South Africa.
Five years after the high-profile death of US man George Floyd at the hands of police brutality, that country’s president seems to be using similar bullying techniques on other countries.
On 25 May 2020, Floyd was suspected of using a counterfeit banknote when police knelt on his neck and pinned him to the ground. In a video of the incident, the man can be heard saying he can’t breathe.
An autopsy later found that Floyd died of “asphyxiation from sustained pressure”.
His death sparked a worldwide protest against racism and the re-emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Who is racist?
Some commentators have reflected back on the incident when listening to US President Donald Trump’s claims of a “white genocide” in South Africa.
“Noting the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, I’m wondering why Ramaphosa did not bring those receipts into the Oval Office and ask Trump: ‘Do Black Lives Matter in the US, or does South Africa need to create its own special refugee programme for African Americans?'”
Others have noted the political pressure that Trump has put on the country since taking office, with thousands of South Africans affected by cancelled aid and proposed tariffs.
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Under strain
SA president Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged this week that his recent visit with Trump came at a time when relations were strained.
“Our visit came at a time when US-SA relations have come under increasing strain, largely as a result of misinformation peddled by fringe groups in our two countries, including a false narrative about a so-called genocide and an orchestrated campaign of violence against white farmers.
“While this was a necessary conversation, the overarching aim of our visit was to deepen our strategic economic partnership with the us as our second-largest trading partner,” Ramaphosa said in his weekly newsletter.
NOW READ: WATCH: Donald Trump ambushes Cyril Ramaphosa in Oval Office
