Can SA-US ties be fixed?

Although US President Donald Trump won’t be coming to the G20 summit in Johannesburg in November, the fact he is sending his Vice-President JD Vance is an indication that Washington still takes this country seriously.

This according to experts who said the move is a glimmer of hope that tattered relations between the two countries may be mended.

Trump has accused South Africa of violating minority rights and grabbing white land, something that President Cyril Ramaphosa has vehemently denied.

Trump sends VP JD Vance to G20

There is already speculation about a possible easing of tensions through pragmatic moves on the tariff front.

Sunday Times columnist Peter Bruce reported last weekend that an attempt was being made to clinch a trade deal that would see Trump’s 30% tariffs for SA significantly reduced.

Ramaphosa’s new special advisor on investment, Alistair Ruiters, has been travelling between Pretoria and Washington in an attempt to squeeze out the deal, according to Bruce.

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However, the tariff speculation could not be substantiated by the government or the ANC.

Political analyst Dirk Kotzé was positive about Trump choosing Vance to represent the US at the G20 summit.

He said this meant America would be represented at a high level at the summit.

US represented at high level

“Vance’s choice symbolised the significance Trump attached to the summit, contrary to his initial refusal for the US to participate in the meeting,” he said.

“If he did not send someone of political substance, it would have been a snub against South Africa, because the US is expected to take over the next G20 presidency.”

Kotzé said it was not surprising that Trump wasn’t coming personally, given his non-committal stance on the issue.

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“This is actually a compromise. I expected someone more junior, but the US vice-president is a very senior person and this means the US still would have a very high-profile representation here,” he said.

“I thought it would be one of the undersecretaries of state, or someone at a lower level, who would be coming. But now it’s number two which, for me, is not negative at all.”

However, Trump’s decision to stay away from the summit indicates that he still has issues with South Africa.

Trump staying away signals issues with SA still

“The tariffs would be implemented, but over time, it’s possible their relations would be reviewed and mended,” Kotzé said.

Another political analyst, Dominic Maphaka, believes relations would not improve under the Trump administration.

He said tension would remain if the Republicans won future elections, but a victory by the Democrats would help to restore the relations to a cordial state.

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Maphaka said in diplomatic circles, a presidential visit, as the first diplomat of a country, for bilateral or multilateral relations, symbolised the significance attached to the host country and the events held in the host country.

“For his part, Trump has made a compromise which could be described as good for his preferences as an individual leader, but bad for his legacy and the US as a world leader,” Maphaka said.

He said Trump had downgraded the US embassy’s role of reporting and authenticating reports about South Africa, instead opting to use his personal views to brand South Africa as a state that disregarded minority rights and, therefore, warranted no aid from the US.

SA as state that disregarded minority rights

“Consequently, Trump’s personal views had taken precedence over foreign policy,” he said.

“Therefore, the decision is good to support the view he holds and wants to promote about South Africa.

“But it is also detrimental and fits into the unilateral approach that he took by withdrawing the US commitment and support for multilateralism.”

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Maphaka did not see the mending of relations between Pretoria and Washington happening in the Trump administration.

“The mending of relations would depend on the political transition coming after the US presidential election,” he said.