Ramaphosa yet to appoint envoys to the US

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Thursday President Cyril Ramaphosa has yet to appoint the delegation that will visit the United States and other capitals in Africa and across the world.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump issued executive orders which summarily cut the USAID funding to South Africa and he also afforded white Afrikaners priority status to seek refuge in the US as the impasse over South Africa’s expropriation policy escalated.

Ramaphosa said he would send envoys to countries that South Africa considers allies to drum up support before this delegation travels to meet with Trump's administration.

Addressing the media after the Wednesday cabinet meeting, Ntshavheni said South Africa was continuing to engage with various processes.

“South Africa is an important global player and as outlined there will be envoys to be sent to the US. From where we sit, both have mutual interests in the development and growth of our own countries and our own economies,” she said.

“It is beneficial for the US to have good relations with South Africa and it is also beneficial for South Africa to have good relations with the US. We can’t avoid each other so there will be meaningful ways when such deal is agreed to and we will announce this,” Ntshavheni said.

She also told the media that International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola was doing great work and that he has met with the European Union (EU) and other leaders.

Ntshavheni said the government will announce the envoys when President Cyril Ramaphosa appoints them.

“We don’t believe there is a need to rush. There are processes underway. The fact that there are no delegations announced does not mean there is no work being done in the background,” she said.

“We have got representatives in the embassies and are engaging with various capitals. That work continues to be done and there is no crisis.”

She made the comment as a delegation of the Afriforum and Solidarity is currently in the US.

It has held talks with Trump’s administration at the White House in Washington.

They have pleaded with the US not to dump South Africa from the Agoa (African Growth and Opportunity Act) trade agreement and highlighted what it claimed are human rights violations against Afrikaners and the ANC's reckless policies and poor governance of the country.

Agoa is a preferential trade benefit which has facilitated $14-billion in exports from South Africa to the US.

Ntshavheni took a swipe at Afriforum and Solidarity, saying she did not know why they continued to peddle lies.

“We are not going to make some people peace time heroes. If they don’t like South Africa and don’t like the efforts of government to redress inequalities of the past, why don’t they take Trump’s offer to settle in the US. I think we need to leave it there,” she said.

“Those who don’t like what is happening in South Africa, there is an offer and we emphasise that it is not all Afrikaners. It is not all white people, but it is the selected few.”

 Ntshavheni stated that the government has acted within the provisions of the constitution since the dawn of democracy in 1994.

 “We welcome the support that came from the EU to indicate that the lies peddled about South Africa are not true and South Africa has the responsibility to correct the injustices of the past so that we build a united, prosperous and equal South Africa that all of us can call it home,” she said.

In the wake of criticism from Trump, the EU said South Africa can count on its full support of the country’s leadership and ambitious agenda as it hosts the G20 this year.

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za