Former President Thabo Mbeki has urged the South African government to take aggressive measures to defuse tensions with the United States in a warning that the nation cannot afford to foster enemies at a time when international relations are growing increasingly strained.
He addressed students at Unisa on Friday, where he discussed a variety of geopolitical tensions.
He focused primarily on South Africa's strained relations with the United States
"Personally, it’s a matter that worries me because as a country we don’t need enemies. We have too many problems for us to be nurturing enemies of any kind,” he said.
Mbeki stressed the importance of diplomacy and urged peaceful resolutions to the ongoing tensions.
He emphasised the possible economic dangers of ongoing hostility, especially the danger to the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which gives South Africa vital access to US markets and is essential to promoting economic expansion.
Making use of his extensive knowledge of international affairs, Mbeki underlined how crucial it is that both countries put cooperation ahead of conflict.
However, he cautioned that South Africa must not appear as a supplicant while engaging with the US.
“As a country, we need to have a clear policy that will say South Africa wants a fair-trade relationship and not a handout. A fair-trade agreement that is mutually beneficial to both countries," he said.
Mbeki expressed concern over the future of bilateral ties, warning that prolonged tensions could threaten shared economic and geopolitical interests.
Regarding AfriForum and Solidarity’s visits to the US, where they lobbied for action against ANC politicians, Mbeki said the government should also engage with US political leaders to correct misinformation about South Africa’s policies.
These groups alleged that the government was targeting a specific racial group by enacting laws such as the Expropriation Act.
The US has so far suspended financial aid to South Africa, including through USAID.
Mbeki acknowledged that the strained relations were not the result of a single event. He also pointed to South Africa's decision to bring a case against Israel, a US ally, before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Mbeki said the matter is now in the hands of the International Court of Justice, which has the authority to proceed with the case.
“The matter is now in the hands of the court,” he added.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
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