Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has said South Africa will not “partake in counterproductive megaphone diplomacy” with the United States, and remained committed to building “a mutually beneficial” relationship.
He was responding to President Donald Trump latest broadside on South Africa.
Trump posted on Truth Social platform: “South Africa is being terrible, plus, to long time farmers in the country. They are confiscating their LAND and FARMS, and MUCH WORSE THAN THAT. A bad place to be right now, and we are stopping all Federal Funding. To go a step further, any Farmer [with family!] from South Africa, seeking to flee that country for reasons of safety, will be invited into the United States of America with a rapid pathway to Citizenship. This process will begin immediately!”
Though he made no reference to race or ethnicity in his latest salvo, it is not clear whether he really meant “any Farmer” (sic), or just white Afrikaner farmers.
In response, Magwenya said: “We are not going to partake in counterproductive megaphone diplomacy. We remain committed to build a mutually beneficial political, trade and diplomatic relationship with the United States, in particular the Trump administration.”
News24 quotes AgriSA CEO Johann Kotzé as saying that he did not experience the fear the Trump post implied in by suggesting that farmers felt any urge to flee.
“AgriSA stands for a country of hope, for a country with a future that we inclusively build together,” Kotzé said.
[Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/54362202306/]