U.S. President Joe Biden greets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on September 16, 2022.
Evelyn Hockstein | Portal
U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby last week called the lawsuit “baseless, counterproductive and completely without factual basis,” while Israel has rejected it as a “blood libel.”
This is the latest divergence in a series of diplomatic disagreements between Washington and Pretoria, which the US views as too close to Russia and China.
In May 2023, when US Ambassador Reuben Brigety accused South Africa of transporting weapons for Russia via a mysterious merchant ship. A South African investigation found no evidence of the alleged arms shipment, but relations between the two historic allies remained close.
Previously, Brigety and other US officials had repeatedly criticized Pretoria for its non-alignment policy in the war in Ukraine, which Washington interpreted as favoring Russia.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa firmly rejected the suggestion, and his government has since reiterated that it does not support Russia's invasion.
But Chris Vandome, senior research fellow at Chatham House's Africa program, told CNBC on Monday that the Gaza conflict erupted at a time when U.S.-South Africa relations are “at a low point.”
“There have been a number of frustrations over the past two years, including South Africa's sense of being imposed on Russia-Ukraine, the US ambassador's statements on South Africa's internal security and its relations with Russia, and US policy towards China in Africa “contributed to the deterioration of that relationship,” Vandome said.
Although Africa's most industrialized country has long been a thorn in the side of the White House over Israel-Palestine, Vandome suggested that recent disagreements are adding to those frustrations.
PRETORIA, South Africa – January 23, 2023: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (l) meets South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor (r) during his official visit to Pretoria
Ihsaan Haffejee/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
“Debates in Washington about whether South Africa should continue to benefit from AGOA [the African Growth and Opportunity Act] have encouraged diplomatic efforts by South Africa to protect its key investment partners, but many in the country view such discussions as threats that only serve to exacerbate ideological anti-Western positions,” he explained.
Enacted in 2000, AGOA is a core tenet of U.S. economic policy in Africa, providing duty-free access to the U.S. market in 2024 for over 1,800 products in 32 eligible countries.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative specifies that to meet the strict eligibility requirements, countries must “establish or make continued progress toward a market-based economy, the rule of law, political pluralism, and the right to due process.” .”
“In addition, countries must eliminate U.S. trade and investment barriers, take measures to reduce poverty, combat corruption and protect human rights,” the USTR says.
“Solidarity against the oppression of apartheid”
South Africa's close relationship with Russia is based on a variety of past and present factors. Pretoria has repeatedly pointed to the USSR's historic support in fighting apartheid and there is a pragmatic impetus to maintain friendly relations with another BRICS member.
During a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last January, South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said that BRICS countries should play a proactive role in the emergence of a “reimagined global order.”
However, the ruling African National Congress's support for the Palestinian territories is different, Vandome explained, as it is based on “solidarity against apartheid oppression” – a cause inextricably linked to the party's founding ideology.
“Support for Palestine has been a mainstay of the ANC's international relations policy since before the dawn of democracy and it was one of the few countries to have held such a long and consistent position,” he said.
“The enshrinement of support for Palestine in ANC party documents voted on and adopted at party conferences means that if the President were to take a different position at the national level, he would be acting against the will of the party, and would put him at a very political disadvantage.” Exposed to critics from opposing factions.
This year's elections in South Africa are considered the most significant since the beginning of democracy after the end of apartheid in 1994. The ANC faces a serious challenge from the majority white main opposition Democratic Alliance and is expected to fall below the 50 percent threshold for the first time have ruled for 30 years.
This opens the door to possible coalition talks with smaller parties, and while foreign policy issues are not typically a deciding factor in elections in South Africa, the Israel-Gaza divide could complicate the formation of these coalitions.
“This issue could prevent a 'centre coalition' between the ANC and DA, which was a greater possibility before the parties took different positions on this,” Vandome said.
“It could also have an impact on the financing of the parties, as some companies that had previously supported the ruling party are now withholding their support.”