Steenhuisen
By Thabo Mosia
Democratic Alliance (DA) leader and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has made a bold political move during a high-stakes meeting at the White House. Speaking directly to US President Donald Trump, Steenhuisen stressed that his main mission is to block the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and its leader, Julius Malema, from gaining power in South Africa.
He was part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s delegation that met Trump on Wednesday, 21 May 2025. During the talks, Trump played video clips of Malema singing the contentious “kill the boer” chant, using it to push his narrative of a “white genocide” in South Africa—a claim Steenhuisen firmly rejected.
Still, he seized the moment to promote the DA’s agenda, saying, “The reason that my part, the DA, which has been in opposition for over 30 years, chose to join hands with Mr Ramaphosa’s party was precisely to keep those people out of power.
We cannot have those people sitting in the Union Buildings and making decisions.” Steenhuisen also appealed for US support, adding, “That is why this government needs the support of our allies from the world to strengthen and grow our economy and shut the door forever on that rebel getting through the doors of the Union Buildings.”
A Crucial Diplomatic Encounter
President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Washington, D.C., on 19 May 2025 for a working visit aimed at resetting strained ties with the United States. The delegation, which included Steenhuisen, International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola, Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau, and Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, met Trump on 21 May.
The group was joined by prominent South Africans like billionaire Johann Rupert and golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, leveraging personal ties to ease tensions. On the US side, key figures like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Elon Musk, a vocal critic of South Africa’s policies, were present.
The meeting followed months of friction, sparked by Trump’s February 2025 executive order granting refugee status to 59 white Afrikaners, 49 of whom arrived in the US on 11 May. Trump claimed they faced “racial persecution” due to South Africa’s Expropriation Act, a policy allowing land seizure without compensation in specific cases to address historical inequalities.
Musk amplified this narrative on social media, alleging a “white genocide.” Ramaphosa’s visit sought to debunk these claims and shift focus to economic cooperation.
Steenhuisen’s Strategic Pitch
In the Oval Office, Steenhuisen didn’t shy away from domestic politics. “The reason that my part, the DA, which has been in opposition for over 30 years, chose to join hands with Mr Ramaphosa’s party was precisely to keep those people out of power,” he told Trump, clearly targeting the EFF.
He painted Malema’s party as a threat to stability, aligning his plea with Trump’s concerns about the EFF’s radical land reform stance. Steenhuisen urged US backing, saying, “We need your help to stop this awful killing, but it’s across the board,” while refuting Trump’s genocide claims with, “There is no genocide.”
Trump, meanwhile, replayed footage of Malema chanting “kill the boer,” insisting it proved violence against white farmers. Steenhuisen countered that crime affects all South Africans, not just one group, and pushed for technological aid to tackle it, echoing a broader call for partnership.
Rupert’s Personal Crusade
Johann Rupert, South Africa’s richest man, added a personal angle to the talks. “All of those things properly you will see I’m the biggest target of that rebel rouser number one for over 10 years Mr Malema,” he told Trump, urging him to “Google my name and Malema” to grasp their long-standing clash. Rupert, who reportedly facilitated the meeting after Trump’s aid cuts in February, framed Malema as a symbol of unrest, tying it to his own battles over transformation policies.
Rupert dismissed Trump’s farmer-focused concerns, saying, “We have too many deaths but it’s across the board, it’s not only white farmers.” He pitched US tech solutions like Starlink for police stations and drones to fight crime and poaching, recalling how Malema’s predecessor once blocked drone imports over spying fears. “We need your help to stop this awful killing,” he said, likening it to New York’s crime turnaround in the 1970s.
Ramaphosa’s Steady Hand
Ramaphosa took a measured approach, aiming to mend ties and secure economic gains. “I go back tonight having a sense that we have done well,” he said post-meeting, inviting Trump to visit South Africa. He acknowledged crime as a challenge—“There is a security problem and we not running away from that there’s criminality”—but rejected racial targeting, insisting, “There is no genocide.”
He pointed to golfers Els and Goosen, and Steenhuisen, saying, “If there was Afrikaner farmer genocide, these gentlemen would not be here.”
The delegation highlighted South Africa’s economic value, with Tau noting, “We supply 12 critical minerals to the US market, and for nine of them, we are the main provider.” Talks also covered Tesla’s potential entry and Starlink’s rollout, despite regulatory hurdles like South Africa’s 30% local ownership requirement.
Malema and EFF Strike Back
Julius Malema brushed off the meeting, saying, “A group of older men meet in Washington to gossip about me.” He defended his land expropriation stance, arguing, “No significant amount of intelligence evidence has been produced about white genocide,” and vowed no compromise on his principles.
The EFF’s statement blasted the delegation as “white privileged men” colluding to stall transformation, calling Rupert’s inclusion “capture” by big business. They vowed to fight Starlink’s entry “in Parliament, in the courts, and in the streets,” labeling it a sovereignty threat.
Economic Stakes: Jobs, Tech, and Trade
The meeting spotlighted three economic priorities:
Tesla’s South African Ambitions
Elon Musk signaled interest in bringing Tesla vehicles to South Africa, with Ramaphosa noting, “He’d like his Tesla cars to be in South Africa.” High tariffs remain a hurdle, but Tau’s team is pushing to position South Africa as a manufacturing hub, building on 2024 talks in New York
.
Starlink’s Regulatory Dance
Starlink’s rollout faces South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) laws. Communications Minister Solly Malatsi is drafting an “equity equivalent” policy—used by firms like Ford and CitiBank—to ease entry. Rupert championed its use for security, but the EFF opposes it as a sellout.
Critical Minerals Partnership
South Africa’s mineral wealth—lithium, helium, and more—caught US attention. Tau revealed, “We supply 12 critical minerals to the US market, and for nine of them, we are the main provider.” A recent deal with ASP Isotopes for helium beneficiation signals deeper ties, with talks exploring local processing to boost jobs.
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), supporting duty-free US access for South African goods, was also on the table. With 77% of US imports from South Africa tariff-free, Ramaphosa’s team pushed for its extension amid Trump’s review threats.
Land Reform and Refugee Fallout
Trump’s focus on land reform dominated parts of the talks. He aired videos alleging thousands of white farmer deaths, tied to his refugee policy. Ramaphosa countered with data: 49 farm murders in 2023 versus 27,000 total homicides, mostly of young Black men. Rupert added, “The biggest murder rate is in the Cape Flats, gangs,” likening it to US urban crime.
The Episcopal Church’s refusal to resettle Afrikaners, citing racial justice, highlighted global skepticism.
The ANC’s Fikile Mbalula backed Ramaphosa, saying, “The United States is the second-largest trading partner of South Africa, and we are in full support of this working visit.” Cosatu’s Matthew Parks praised Ramaphosa’s dignity in countering “fake news,” while the UDM’s Nqabayomzi Kwankwa called the refugees nostalgic for apartheid.
Geopolitical Flashpoints
South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel over Gaza, filed in December 2023, irked the US. Rubio tied improved ties to Pretoria rethinking its stance, but Ramaphosa avoided escalation, praising Trump’s peace efforts in Rwanda-DRC and Russia-Ukraine conflicts.
“We complimented President Trump for his efforts to build peace,” he said. Security talks focused on crime-fighting tech, with Trump’s G20 attendance in November still uncertain: “I don’t know how we can go unless that situation is taken care of.”
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