President Cyril Ramaphosa has signalled that South Africa will not retreat from its position amid growing tensions with the United States, insisting that Pretoria remains ready to engage Washington while defending its sovereignty.
Ramaphosa’s remarks come days after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new visa restrictions targeting certain South Africans, adding another point of friction to already strained bilateral relations.
Speaking in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa said South Africa was prepared to address disagreements through engagement, but would do so on the basis of mutual respect and national sovereignty.
“We are quite willing and prepared to continue engaging with the United States as we engage with all other countries in the world,” Ramaphosa said.
He added that South Africa would approach difficult discussions with “dignity” and “sovereignty”, while expecting the same level of respect from other countries.
The latest diplomatic tension follows the US government’s allegations relating to what it describes as race-based discrimination, uncompensated land seizures and incitement of violence. South Africa has rejected these allegations.
Despite the disagreements, Ramaphosa stressed the importance of maintaining economic ties with Washington, pointing to the US as an important market for South African goods and businesses.
“Where there are challenges, we will go in with our dignity, with our sovereignty, to engage with those countries without bowing our heads and treating those nations respectfully and expecting them to treat us also respectfully,” he said.
His comments underscore Pretoria’s stated intention to keep diplomatic channels open while resisting pressure that it believes could undermine South Africa’s sovereignty.
The visa restrictions add to a series of disputes that have placed the relationship between the two countries under increased scrutiny, with trade, foreign policy and domestic political issues all featuring in the broader tensions.
For Pretoria, the message remains that engagement with Washington will continue—but on terms that South Africa says must respect its sovereignty and national interests.