South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa has disclosed that his country “will not be bullied,” by United States over the reform and geopolitical tensions.
Ramaphosa said this on Thursday while responding to recent criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened to cut off funding to South Africa over its land reform policies.
Trump, in a statement on Sunday, accused South Africa of “confiscating land and treating certain classes of people very badly,” referencing a new law aimed at addressing racial disparities in land ownership. However, he provided no evidence to support his claims.
According to Reuters, Ramaphosa did not mention Trump directly during his annual state of the nation address but addressed the broader rise of geopolitical tensions.
“We are witnessing the rise of nationalism, protectionism, the pursuit of narrow interests, and the decline of common cause,” he said. “We will stand together as a united nation, and we will speak with one voice in defense of our national interests.”
The South African leader’s remarks come amid growing criticism from U.S. officials. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently announced he would skip the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, accusing South Africa of “doing very bad things,” including using the G20 platform to promote “solidarity, equality, and sustainability.”
South Africa assumed the G20 presidency in December, marking the first time an African nation has held the role. Ramaphosa has pledged to use the position to advance the interests of Africa and the Global South.
Ramaphosa’s address underscored the nation’s determination to assert its sovereignty and pursue its development agenda despite international criticism.
