Mbalula On Rupert
By Thabo Mosia
On Wednesday, 21 May 2025, African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has confirmed that prominent South African businessman Johann Rupert will accompany President Cyril Ramaphosa for his scheduled high-stakes meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. This significant diplomatic engagement, aimed at resetting strained relations between South Africa and the United States, saw a delegation that also included renowned golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, as well as key ministers like Ronald Lamola, Parks Tau, John Steenhuisen, and Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. Mbalula, speaking at the Budget Speech event in Cape Town, revealed that Trump specifically requested Rupert’s presence, highlighting the businessman’s pivotal role in this historic encounter.
A Strategic Diplomatic Move Amid Rising Tensions
The inclusion of Johann Rupert, South Africa’s wealthiest individual and a titan in the agricultural and luxury goods sectors, marks a strategic effort to mend diplomatic and economic ties. Rupert, who facilitated this meeting following months of escalating tensions, aimed to counter Trump’s portrayal of Afrikaners as “refugees” facing persecution. His involvement reflects a broader push to present a united South African front, leveraging his influence to foster dialogue over divisive issues like land reform and trade relations.
The backdrop to this meeting is a series of U.S. actions that have strained bilateral relations. On 7 February 2025, Trump issued an executive order cutting $440 million in funding to South Africa, impacting critical HIV and TB research and medicine. This followed his decision to grant refugee status to 59 Afrikaners, with 49 arriving in the U.S. on 11 May 2025, citing alleged racial discrimination tied to South Africa’s Expropriation Act. The South African government has staunchly denied these claims, with Ramaphosa asserting, “There is no genocide here,” a sentiment echoed across political and civil society lines.
Key Players in the Delegation
The South African delegation was carefully assembled to address both diplomatic and economic priorities:
- Cyril Ramaphosa: Leading the mission, Ramaphosa arrived in Washington, D.C., on 19 May 2025, intent on resetting relations and securing trade benefits.
- Johann Rupert: As Chairman of Richemont and a major stakeholder in South Africa’s agricultural sector, Rupert’s role was to reassure Trump on land reform policies and economic stability.
- Ernie Els and Retief Goosen: These golfing legends, known for their personal rapport with Trump, were included to soften the atmosphere and leverage shared interests.
- Ronald Lamola: The International Relations and Cooperation Minister brought a firm stance on South Africa’s sovereignty and foreign policy.
- Parks Tau: The Trade and Industry Minister focused on negotiating trade deals, potentially within or beyond the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
- John Steenhuisen: As Agriculture Minister and Democratic Alliance leader, he emphasized protecting agricultural trade, a $1 billion annual export market to the U.S.
- Khumbudzo Ntshavheni: The Minister in the Presidency underscored the economic package South Africa would present.
This diverse team arrived at the South African Embassy on 20 May 2025 for a briefing, where Ramaphosa expressed optimism: “We are hoping to have really good discussions with President Trump and his fellow government colleagues. I’m looking forward to a really good and positive meeting.”
Addressing Diplomatic Flashpoints
The meeting tackled several contentious issues:
Land Reform and the “Refugee” Narrative
Trump’s claims of a “white genocide” and his refugee programme for Afrikaners have been a major sticking point. The Expropriation Act, signed into law on 23 January 2025, allows land seizure without compensation in rare cases to address apartheid-era disparities—where white South Africans (7% of the population) own 73% of farmland, while Black South Africans (81%) hold little. No seizures have occurred, yet Trump and ally Elon Musk have accused South Africa of targeting Afrikaners. Rupert, vocal against uncompensated expropriation, aimed to clarify that South Africa’s policies are constitutionally sound and judicially overseen, not a threat to economic stability.
Ramaphosa told reporters at the embassy, “We are a sovereign country, and we are a very proud nation, and we preserve our sovereignty, and we will always do what is best for South Africans.” This echoed his earlier rebuttal to Trump at the Africa CEO Forum: “A refugee is someone who has to leave their country out of fear of political persecution, religious persecution, or economic persecution. And they don’t fit that bill.”
Trade and Economic Relations
With the U.S. as South Africa’s second-largest trading partner, trade was a top priority. The looming expiration of AGOA, which supports thousands of South African jobs in sectors like automotive and agriculture, hung over discussions. Trump’s 30% tariff threat in March 2025, suspended for 90 days, added urgency. Ntshavheni confirmed, “We will offer a package; we will negotiate a package, and that package must be beneficial to South Africa.” Ramaphosa added, “The trade relations are the most important. That’s what has brought us here. We want to come out of the United States with a really good trade deal, investment promotion.”
Geopolitical Tensions
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a Senate hearing on 20 May 2025, conditioned improved ties on South Africa reconsidering its stance on Israel. South Africa’s 2023 ICJ case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, alongside ties with Iran and China, has irked Washington. Senator Ted Cruz criticized Pretoria’s “pivot towards the Chinese Communist Party” and “corruption linked to Iran.” Ramaphosa planned to address these, noting, “We are going to have an opportunity to discuss geopolitical issues—not only Israel but also Ukraine—and we will put South Africa’s interests first.”
EFF’s Fierce Opposition
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) fiercely condemned Rupert’s inclusion, with spokesperson Sinawo Thambo declaring on 21 May 2025: “In what can only be described as capture and an exhibition of the undue influence of big business, Trump and Ramaphosa have allowed their benefactors and funders to control the relations between South Africa and the United States.” The EFF accused Rupert of opposing transformation, citing his stance against land expropriation and his past threats to disinvest if policies threatened his wealth. Thambo warned, “Any such assurances will be meaningless, and the EFF reserves all of its rights to challenge back-room dealings in our courts of law.”
On 20 May, the EFF also slammed reports of potential regulatory concessions to Musk’s Starlink, calling it “unconstitutional” and a “compromise on our sovereignty.” They vowed to resist any bypassing of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) laws requiring 30% local ownership for telecom licences.
U.S. Perspective and Domestic Criticism
Rubio defended the Afrikaner refugee programme in a combative Senate exchange on 20 May 2025, arguing, “Those 49 people that came surely felt they were persecuted.” Critics like Senator Tim Kaine accused the administration of racial bias, noting the suspension of broader refugee programmes for groups like the Uyghurs or Rohingyas. Senator Chris Van Hollen called it “global apartheid,” highlighting the contrast with apartheid-era Black South Africans denied U.S. refuge.
The Episcopal Church’s refusal to resettle Afrikaners, announced on 19 May, drew White House ire. Bishop Sean W. Rowe criticized the “preferential treatment” of a group not facing documented persecution, ending a $50 million federal partnership. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly retorted that the decision questioned the Church’s “supposed commitment to humanitarian aid.”
Ramaphosa’s Pitch: Trade, Jobs, and Sovereignty
Arriving at his Washington hotel on 20 May, Ramaphosa outlined his goals to reporters: “We want to strengthen those relations, and we want to consolidate good relations between our two countries.” He emphasized job creation and investment, noting South Africa’s 46.1% Black unemployment rate versus 9.2% for white South Africans, per the 2022 census. Steenhuisen, representing the Government of National Unity (GNU), added, “Preferential trade agreements such as AGOA contribute significantly to our economy. Losing these benefits would be disastrous for farmers, farm workers, and the economy at large.”
On Starlink, amid reports of a “last-minute” meeting with Musk’s team on 20 May, Ramaphosa sidestepped specifics but reiterated sovereignty: “We will always do what is best for South Africans.” Communications Minister Solly Malatsi’s October 2024 draft policy on “equity equivalents” suggested flexibility, but the EFF’s resistance loomed large.
Broader Implications for South Africa-U.S. Relations
The meeting’s outcomes could reshape bilateral ties. A successful trade deal could bolster South Africa’s struggling economy, where jobless growth and inequality persist 31 years post-apartheid. The ANC, through Mbalula, stressed the stakes: “The United States of America is the second largest trading partner of South Africa, and we are in full support of the working visit by President Ramaphosa to go and engage with President Trump.”
Geopolitically, Trump’s threat to skip the November 2025 G20 Summit in South Africa unless the “genocide” issue is “taken care of” tests Pretoria’s resolve. Ramaphosa extended an invitation for Trump to visit, with Deputy President Paul Mashatile saying, “He will invite President Trump to come here so that he can see our beautiful country and see that there is no genocide here.” The U.S. boycott of G20 preparatory meetings, reported on 20 May, underscored the rift, though no formal ban was communicated.
South African Voices: Unity and Division
Domestic reactions varied. The ANC rejected the refugee narrative as a “cowardly political construct” on 13 May, with Mbalula asserting, “South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white.” COSATU’s Matthew Parks called the 49 Afrikaners “economic migrants,” not refugees, urging them to “represent South Africa well.” The UDM’s Nqabayomzi Kwankwa labeled them apartheid nostalgists, while AfriForum’s Kallie Kriel saw their departure as an ANC failure.
Theo de Jager of the Southern African Agri Initiative dismissed widespread land grabs or genocide but noted farm safety concerns, with 49 murders in 2023. Most Afrikaner communities, he said, rejected Trump’s offer, with only 1,000 of 3 million inquiring—mostly non-farmers seeking economic opportunity.
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