SA must engage Trump with business deals, not politics

To resolve the differences between South Africa and the US and win Donald Trump over, SA must send a business-strong delegation with proposals to America that benefit both countries, but avoid any topic that deals with diversity, equality and inclusivity (DEI), according to analysts.

Two South African experts believe that just one trip could help end the tension between the two countries if South Africa plays its political game properly.

Aligning with Trump’s business priorities

North-West University international relations expert Dr Jan Venter said: “We have to go to America not to change his mind on the Afrikaners, on the farmers, but to confirm to him that he is the leader of the free world and we are ideologically more inclined to do what he thinks is good.

“Then we must say what business opportunities we present to him. He already has business propositions in mind for SA. It will be business propositions where America benefits and Trump looks good.

“We need a high-level, business-strong delegation to speak to Trump in a language that he understands – business,” Venter said.

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Venter said SA was in the same situation as Ukraine, where Kyiv had to bow to the US.

But Ukraine might be playing for time knowing that Trump had only four years in office and normality would return after that.

Ebrahim Rasool’s view on Trump’s rhetoric

Those are the tactics that SA could also play. This view was also expressed by former SA ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, at a webinar when he accused Trump of promoting white supremacy.

Rasool said that Trump only had four years in office and the situation would normalise in SA’s favour later.

“If we play the politics correctly, there might be opportunities, but we will have to stomach a lot of rhetoric. US ambassador Leo Brent Bozell will continue to espouse the rhetoric of the Trump administration. He is not the real deal-maker.”

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Independent political analyst Sandile Swana said it was not wrong for President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint former DA leader and diplomat Tony Leon as ambassador to the US, but it might cause continuous diplomatic turbulence.

“Leon will agree with the US and differ with his own president,” Swana said. “So there will be no progress there whatsoever.”

Topics to avoid

Any talk between the US and SA on cases at the International Court of Justice, affirmative action and DEI was bound to fail, he added.

“DEI, affirmative action and broad-based black economic empowerment are opposed by the DA in SA and by Trump and his group internationally, but promoted by the ANC.

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