SA/US Foreign Relations on the Mend, Unless Minister Pandor ‘Does Something Really Stupid’ - Dr. Piet Croukamp

Fractures have appeared in the foreign relations between South Africa and the United States following a series of events. These events included accusations from the US ambassador to South Africa that a Russian cargo ship, Lady R, was loaded with supplies for use against Ukraine, and a call between Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, and the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. But after a fairly friendly 20th AGOA Forum over the past week in Johannesburg, relations seem to be on the mend. In an interview with Biznews, Dr Piet Croukamp, political analyst and a senior lecturer at North-West University, said that it would be optimistic to think that South Africa is out of the danger zone because the country’s “foreign policy is so unstable.” However, the idea that South Africa will be removed from the AGOA agreement appears to have dissipated. It appeared, he said, that the Americans were buying the idea that the agreement must be stretched over a longer period than five years, but he had doubts that a new agreement would materialise before 2025. He said that unless the South Africans did something “really stupid” and it is not impossible with Naledi Pandor at DIRCO, he could not see South Africa being removed from AGOA any time soon. The Americans will however not tolerate support for Hamas, he said. Dr Croukamp also warned that South Africa will have to do something about its infrastructure, electricity and roads as it would not be able to compete with American producers and service providers.