PRETORIA – Former South African President Thabo Mbeki has called for a renewal of the diplomatic and democratic bonds between Pretoria and Washington, using the 250th anniversary of United States independence to advocate for a relationship rooted in shared values.
The appeal comes at a moment of acute strategic tension. While the ceremonial events in Pretoria emphasized historical solidarity, the actual bilateral relationship is currently defined by trade disputes, diplomatic snubs, and public clashes between President Cyril Ramaphosa and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Historical Convergence and the Anti-Apartheid Legacy
Speaking at a reception hosted by the U.S. embassy on Wednesday evening, Mbeki framed the anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence not merely as an American milestone, but as a touchstone for South Africa’s own liberation. He noted that the principles of the 1776 document served as an inspiration for the movement to end apartheid and later informed the drafting of South Africa’s post‑1994 constitutional order.
Mbeki specifically highlighted the pivotal role of the U.S. legislative branch in the late 20th century, citing the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986. The act, passed by Congress after overriding a veto from then-President Ronald Reagan, imposed stringent sanctions that crippled the apartheid government’s economy and helped push Pretoria toward negotiations.
“[I am] confident that both peoples will use this happy occasion to recall that for some generations, they have together sought to build relations of friendship and mutually beneficial co-operation,” Mbeki said.
He credited U.S. activists, legislators, and various administrations with making the United States “one of the architects of our country’s liberation from apartheid and racial domination,” arguing that this legacy gives both governments a responsibility to protect democratic norms at home and abroad.
Diplomatic Friction and the ‘America First’ Era
The nostalgic tone of the anniversary celebrations stands in stark contrast to the operational reality of the current administration. Relations have deteriorated sharply since President Trump returned to office in 2024, with U.S. policy once again framed under an “America First” banner that has translated into a more transactional and confrontational posture toward partners, including South Africa.
The friction reached a zenith in May 2025 during an Oval Office meeting between President Ramaphosa and President Trump. The encounter was marked by Trump’s public and unsubstantiated allegations regarding violence against white farmers in South Africa-a recurring theme in U.S. conservative rhetoric that Pretoria has consistently dismissed as misleading and inflammatory.
Following that exchange, the U.S. government has implemented a series of punitive measures against South Africa that go beyond diplomatic rhetoric and directly affect policy:
- G20 exclusion: Washington excluded South Africa from this year’s G20 summit held in Florida, sidelining one of Africa’s largest economies from a key global economic forum.
- Trade tariffs: The U.S. has imposed a 30% tariff on various South African imports, targeting sectors from metals to manufactured goods and raising concerns about job losses in export-oriented industries.
- AGOA uncertainty: The African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which provides unilateral duty-free access to U.S. markets for eligible sub-Saharan African countries, has been extended only until the end of 2026, rather than given the longer renewal many investors had anticipated.
South African diplomats view these measures as part of a broader pattern in which Washington is willing to leverage market access and multilateral forums to extract political concessions or signal displeasure over Pretoria’s foreign policy alignments, including its engagements with China and Russia.
Economic Stakes and Institutional Stability
The uncertainty surrounding Agoa is particularly critical for South Africa’s industrial sector, specifically the automotive and component industries, which rely heavily on predictable U.S. market access and long-term export contracts. Agoa preferences underpin thousands of jobs and are frequently cited in boardroom decisions on where to locate new plants or upgrade existing ones.
By extending the program for South Africa by only two years, Washington has introduced a planning horizon that is significantly shorter than the investment cycles in manufacturing, creating volatility for long-term foreign direct investment in the region. Treasury and trade officials in Pretoria now face the twin challenge of reassuring investors while preparing contingency plans should South Africa lose preferential access after 2026.
Against this backdrop, Mbeki’s intervention was widely interpreted by diplomats in attendance as a reminder that the relationship has always been shaped as much by legislatures and broader democratic constituencies as by presidents. He urged both sides to “return to principle” and to anchor disagreements in transparent, rules-based processes rather than ad hoc measures.
Despite these pressures, the South African government continues to project a facade of stability. Representing the administration at the embassy event, acting social development minister Sindisiwe Chikunga insisted that the channels of communication remain open.
“The recent engagement between President Ramaphosa and President Trump in May 2025 demonstrated the importance both countries attached to maintaining open channels of communication and working constructively to strengthen bilateral relations,” Chikunga said.
She added that the outcomes of those engagements “continue to provide a platform for expanding co-operation in trade and investment, technology, innovation, security co-operation, education and cultural exchanges,” even as officials on both sides quietly acknowledge that many of those workstreams are now overshadowed by the Agoa review.
The Resilience of Democratic Experiments
U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Brent Bozell III addressed the gathering by reflecting on the fragility and endurance of the American political system. He acknowledged that the U.S. journey has been marked by internal conflict and division, from the Civil War to contemporary polarization.
“America’s story has never been easy,” Bozell said, suggesting that the country’s setbacks were often “made possible by freedom itself.” He stated that successive generations have continued to strive toward the ideals outlined in the Declaration of Independence, and drew a parallel with South Africa’s own efforts to uphold the 1996 Constitution as a living document rather than a symbolic artifact.
Diplomats noted that both Mbeki and Bozell repeatedly returned to the idea of institutions-courts, legislatures, and independent media-as buffers against the kind of majoritarian populism that can strain international partnerships. In that context, Pretoria’s continued access to Agoa is now being weighed in Washington not only on trade metrics but also against evolving expectations about governance and alignment.
The bilateral relationship remains under formal review as the 2026 deadline for Agoa approaches, with officials in both capitals acutely aware that the eventual decision will signal whether the two democracies are drifting apart or can still find common cause within a shared, rules-based framework.