South Africa seeks trade breakthrough with Trump amid tensions

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is in Washington for critical talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, aiming to defuse tensions and secure trade and investment deals as U.S.-South Africa relations face challenges.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Washington on Wednesday to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, hoping to restore strained ties and unlock new trade and investment opportunities.

The visit follows months of tensions after Trump attacked South Africa’s land reform law, cut aid, expelled the ambassador, and accused the government of anti-white policies - claims Pretoria strongly denies.

"Whether we like it or not, we are joined at the hip and we need to be talking to them," Ramaphosa said on South African state TV ahead of the meeting.

The U.S. is South Africa’s second-largest trading partner, and aid cuts have already disrupted HIV testing. Ramaphosa is offering broad trade deals, including duty-free access for Tesla cars in exchange for infrastructure investment. Talks will also focus on protecting South African agricultural exports under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is threatened by Trump’s tariff plans.

Trump is expected to demand that U.S. firms be exempt from South Africa’s empowerment laws, which require support for historically disadvantaged groups. Ramaphosa is unlikely to back down, as these policies are central to post-apartheid economic justice.

Ramaphosa is joined by ministers, luxury goods tycoon Johann Rupert, and golf stars Ernie Els and Retief Goosen - seen as possible bridges to Trump, who shares close ties with all three.

Despite Trump’s claims of land seizures and violence against white farmers, no such expropriations have occurred. White South Africans, who make up 7% of the population, still control most farmland and remain wealthier than the Black majority.

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