Unfair to compare treatment of black people during apartheid to alleged white genocide: Ramaphosa
Ramaphosa commented during a briefing with South African media following a bilateral meeting with Trump at the White House in Washington.
President Cyril Ramaphosa during his meeting with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC. Picture: Elmond Jiyane/GCIS
JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa said it's unfair to compare the treatment of black people under the apartheid regime to what United States (US) President Donald Trump believes is happening to white Afrikaners in this era.
Ramaphosa commented during a briefing with South African media following a bilateral meeting with Trump at the White House in Washington.
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During the meeting, Trump alleged that a white genocide is underway in South Africa, exclaiming that it's deliberately under-reported in the media.
Although Ramaphosa rejected claims of widespread killings of white South Africans, he also emphasised that the situation cannot be equated to the systemic oppression of black people.
“We cannot equate what is alleged to be genocide to what we went through in the struggle, because people were killed because of the oppression that was taking place in our country. So, you cannot equate that.”
RAMAPHOSA BELIEVES SA-US CHANNELS ARE NOW OPEN
A pleased Ramaphosa believes channels between his country and the US are now open, after a dramatic showing in the Oval Office.
Ramaphosa was welcomed into his Wednesday afternoon briefing with South African journalists by applause from officials and members of Cabinet, and gave details of talks and the lunch shared with Trump and his delegation.
Ramaphosa said golf, trade, and investment opportunities formed part of the deliberations.
Moreover, Minister of Trade and Industry Parks Tau confirmed that a trade and investment framework proposal was submitted.
The document, which has a series of components, will look at areas to increase trade, with gas being one of the key commodities listed.
On the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Tau said a collective approach will be adopted by the continent, which will be dealt with in detail on a different platform.