johannesburg — South Africa has come under fire for spending millions of dollars negotiating with the terrorist group Hamas and sending delegations to negotiate friendly deals with U.S. adversaries Russia and Iran. Some critics argue that the money would be better spent dealing with the “chaos” at home.
South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, crime is rampant, and corruption is so rampant that large parts of Johannesburg have been without water for 10 of the past 11 days, with water cuts running from 4 to 11 hours a day across the country. A power outage is occurring. .
The United States is helping South Africa gain billions of dollars a year in trade benefits through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Ord Kitley, a law professor at Arizona State University and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that it was time for South Africa to be removed from the program.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during the first plenary session as part of the 2019 Russia-Africa Summit at the Sirius Science and Art Park in Sochi, Russia, October 24, 2019. . (Sergei Chirikov/Pool via Reuters)
“The ANC-led South African government has violated the requirement that AGOA beneficiaries not undermine the national security and foreign policy of the United States in its relations with both Russia and Hamas, and that, with respect to Hamas, AGOA beneficiaries “ violation of the requirement to not provide assistance. against acts of international terrorism,” said Kitley, who also served as a State Department prosecutor and policy officer.
“Due to the requirements of the AGOA Act, the Biden administration has no choice but to terminate AGOA benefits to South Africa unless such activities cease.”
South Africa has made controversial diplomatic moves, including allowing Russian ships to play war games just off its coast and allowing the Russian warship Lady R to dock at a military base in South Africa. Measures are being taken continuously. This caught the attention of Sen. Tim Scott, ranking Republican on the Senate Africa Subcommittee and member of the Senate Banking Subcommittee.
Scott said in a recent statement: “South Africa has docked sanctioned Russian ships, expanded its relationship with Iran, and issued statements opposing Israel’s right to self-defense in the wake of recent Hamas terrorist attacks.” Stated.
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Also, according to USAID DashboardWashington gave South Africa $660 million in aid in 2023.
Herman Mashaba, leader of the relatively new political party ActionSA, told Fox News Digital: “The ruling party is prioritizing Cold War alliances over the interests of South Africans. Its close relationship with Russia has made it difficult to invest in the country. are at risk, and the costs are high.” These are jobs that South Africa cannot afford to risk losing. ”
Hearings in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel will begin on January 11, 2024 at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands. (Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“At the same time, 86 people are killed every day in South Africa,” Mashaba continued. “One woman is raped every 11 minutes in this country. For 30 years, the ruling party has failed to address these crises, instead paying attention to everything but finding solutions to these problems. .”
The State Department also took input.
A ministry spokesperson said: “Russia is waging a brutal war against the Ukrainian people, and we are working to cut off support and funding to President Putin’s war machine and weaken Russia’s ability to wage this conflict.” We are constantly working on it.” “We have urged countries not to support Russia’s war effort.”
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Regarding Tehran, a State Department spokesperson said, “Iran is an adversary and a major state sponsor of terrorism. Iran seeks to sow instability in the Middle East and around the world.”
“We call on all countries to condemn Hamas, as it is a designated terrorist organization and deserves condemnation.”
J. Brooks Specter, a former U.S. diplomat and deputy editor of the Daily Maverick, shared his concerns with Fox News Digital:
“South Africa has rarely supported the United States internationally in serious crises such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Members of the Economic Freedom Fighters protest on the streets of Tsakane township, east of Johannesburg, South Africa, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
“Beyond AGOA eligibility, South Africa may be at risk of seeing America’s major contribution to the PEPFAR Fund to fight HIV/AIDS begin to decline or end as funding is transferred to other countries. unknown.”
This would be disastrous. Even with U.S. aid, South Africa still has the world’s highest rate of HIV infections, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“Part of the challenge for South Africa going forward is to seek a diplomatic strategy that seeks to become a visible player in resolving international conflicts far from the mainland, such as Ukraine and Gaza, while largely ignoring pressing issues closer to home. “Go home,” Spector said.
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Firefighters spray water on flames shooting from the building at the South African Parliament Buildings in Cape Town on January 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Emma Louise Powell told Fox News Digital that South Africa has had a “totally chaotic approach to foreign policy in recent years.” Mr Powell is the shadow international relations minister for the country’s main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA).
“Given the bloodshed unfolding in South Africa’s backyard, across the African continent, in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and across West Africa, the government’s involvement in negotiations over the Israeli-Hamas war is… It goes without saying that there is a political and economic crisis in neighboring Zimbabwe.
“South Africa has not even condemned Russia’s illegal aggression. This is intellectually dishonest given that the ANC receives funding from Russia-linked oligarchies and corporations, and this position is leading to South Africa’s isolation. We believe that this is leading to an increase in
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Senator Tim Scott criticized the South African government over its dealings with America’s adversaries and the country’s corruption problems. (Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency, Getty Images) (Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency, Getty Images))
Spector added: “This mix of actions risks making South Africa increasingly powerless internationally, both as a country with substantial political influence and as a valuable investment and trading partner outside of China.” It means,” he added.
Then there is systemic corruption. Two years ago, hundreds of senior politicians and businessmen, mostly associated with the ruling African National Congress (ANC), were accused of corruption in a 5,000-page state capture report, but no one was indicted. There are hardly any.
“Many in the foreign policy community in Washington are sadly seeing the current state of the ANC for the first time since President[Nelson]Mandela left office. “It’s a political party that has decided to ally itself with its enemies, including Russia, Iran and Hamas,” FDD’s Kitley warned.
South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor speaks to reporters after the conclusion of the International Court of Justice (World Court) in The Hague, Netherlands, on January 26. (AP)
“The United States cannot continue to turn a blind eye when it comes to corruption in South Africa,” Sen. Tim Scott said earlier this week. “As we consider reauthorizing AGOA, we need to ensure that the program’s eligibility requirements are actually met. It is important to take steps to confirm this.” Enforced. ”
The State Department is so concerned about corruption in South Africa that it sent an additional statement to Fox News Digital, which some analysts claim contains a veiled threat.
“Fighting corruption is a core national security interest of the United States,” the statement said. “The United States is considering the use of several foreign policy tools to combat corruption, including but not limited to financial sanctions. It is U.S. policy not to comment on internal reviews’ actions. “
Kitley added: “U.S. officials are aware that the ANC itself is not holding corrupt officials to account, and the ANC-led South African government has made significant progress in prosecuting South African officials who took bribes. “The ANC has reportedly indicted several people recently,” he added. Corruption-tainted officials are on the re-election list. ”
Pinky Sevitlo cooks on a coal stove during frequent power outages caused by South African power company Eskom’s aging coal-fired power plant on June 23, 2022 in Soweto, South Africa. (Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko)
Action SA’s Mashaba added: “It is unacceptable that two years after the state capture report was submitted, no prominent individuals have been charged.”
Last week, South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor announced that dual-citizen South Africans fighting for Israel in Gaza would be arrested upon their return.
“We are ready. We will arrest you when you return,” he said, referring to a long-standing law that says South Africans cannot go to war for another country. However, in 2015, when Iraq’s ambassador to Syria claimed that as many as 300 South Africans had left Syria to take up arms for the Islamic State terrorist group, public efforts to arrest returned fighters were made. There was no threat.
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Analysts expect Pandor to face tough questions during a trip to Washington scheduled for this week.
The ANC government is likely to lose power as South Africa’s sole majority in elections in May. The latest poll by the Brenthurst Foundation last week predicted that the ANC would win just 39% of the vote. The party is likely to form a coalition, analysts predict, perhaps with the “revolutionary” EFF, Economic Freedom Fighters.
A man brandishes a toy gun during a pro-Palestinian demonstration organized by the South African opposition Economic Freedom Fighters in front of the Israeli Embassy in Pretoria on October 23, 2023. (Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images)
According to its election manifesto, the EFF wants to expropriate white-owned agricultural land for free.
“As the EFF, we have never made any promises.” [White people] That we will not take away our land. We owe them nothing,” EFF leader Julius Malema told a cheering crowd at the manifesto launch.
And the pro-China EFF has warned the 600 American companies operating in South Africa that they “may face immediate withdrawal” if Americans working there do not like the EFF’s policies.
Fox News Digital contacted both the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ANC but did not receive a response.
