ANC upbeat about upcoming meeting between Ramaphosa and Trump
Ramaphosa is expected to meet Trump at the White House in a high-stakes mission on Wednesday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke at the launch of Operation Vulindlela Phase II at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on 7 May 2025. Picture: @GovernmentZA/X
JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) says it’s upbeat about the upcoming meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and his United States (US) counterpart, Donald Trump, as South Africa prepares to walk a tight diplomatic rope this week.
Ramaphosa is expected to meet Trump at the White House in a high-stakes mission on Wednesday.
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The visit comes after 49 Afrikaners defected to the US last week under false claims of being persecuted in their home country.
Washington granted the small group refugee status.
Ramaphosa’s visit to Washington is expected to see SA-US trade relations and domestic race policies take centre stage this week.
However, some analysts have warned that Ramaphosa’s three-day visit is unlikely to be easy, with fears it could turn hostile or confrontational.
South African diplomats have grown increasingly frustrated over false claims by Trump’s administration that Afrikaner farmers are being targeted.
There are no crime statistics or accounts that support the claims of genocide in South Africa, and global critics have also called the bluff on the claims by the US.
The ANC's chief whip in Parliament, Mdumiseni Ntuli, said, “Some of the positions adopted by President Donald Trump are not informed by the objective reality of our situation in the country.”
Ramaphosa will be joined by four ministers on the make-or-break mission, including Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola and Minister of Trade and Industry, Parks Tau.