The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes progress made by Team South Africa’s delegation led by President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa to the United States of America (US). President Ramaphosa and the delegation inclusive of the four Ministers and officials, Business and Labour, including the Federation’s President, Zingiswa Losi, led with dignity and made South Africa proud.
South Africa’s long-standing bilateral relationship with the US has experienced significant tensions, not just under President Donald Trump’s administration, but also his predecessor, President Joe Biden. South African workers have a vested stake in a positive and mutually respectful relationship with over 600 American companies invested in South Africa and South African exporters to the US employing over 500 000 South African workers. South African, Africa and American workers have benefited from the favourable tariff access for South African and African exports to the US, the world’s largest economy. Countless South Africans living with HIV/AIDS have benefited from US aid.
With painfully high levels of unemployment and an economy struggling to grow, South Africa needs to not only jealously defend jobs, but also to seek new trade and investment opportunities. The introduction of new trade tariffs by the US would make it very difficult for South African agricultural, motor and other manufacturing exports to remain competitive in the US, thus placing thousands of South African jobs at risk.
The mission of the delegation was not to sign a new trade deal, but rather to stabilise bilateral relations that had experienced severe strain in recent times and to put in place a process at the highest levels of both nations’ governments to address various concerns on both sides on geo-political, trade and related matters. It is urgent that both governments with the support of business and labour, work with speed over the next few weeks to put in place a mutually beneficial reset package, in particular on how trade, investment, tourism and other areas of partnership between both countries can be achieved. We hope this will include an extension and strengthening of the African Growth and Opportunities Act.
COSATU is heartened that the South African delegation was able to effectively clarify the flurry of fake news on social media about a White genocide taking place in South Africa, or our Afrikaans compatriots or farmers being targeted for persecution. South Africa has very difficult socio-economic challenges, genocide and persecution are not among them.
We are pleased that the delegation did not sugarcoat our painful levels of crime, including violent offences. This is a cancer that affects not only White farmers, but all South Africans, in particular African and Coloured, and especially women. Our crime levels exist for many well-known reasons, including unemployment and poverty. Whilst it should not take turbulence in relations with the US, to awaken society to this, we should nonetheless seize this opportunity to tackle a blight upon the nation. This includes ensuring the South African Police Service, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Courts and Revenue Service have the resources required to win the war against crime. It means we as ordinary citizens too must play our part and build a culture of zero tolerance for criminality of all types.
Part of addressing entrenched criminality, is to ensure we have an inclusive and growing economy that not only provides decent jobs and a living wage for all workers, but ensures that all South Africans, Black and White, can enjoy a better life for all. Enhanced trade and investments with the US, and other leading economic partners from the European Union to China, Japan among others, has a crucial supporting role to play.
2025 has shone a spotlight onto the ugly underbelly of racism we had naively assumed disappeared with the advent of democracy in 1994, as well as the fraying social fabric. There must be no space for racism or hate speech of any kind in a South Africa that seeks to live up to the progressive vision of the Freedom Charter, drafted by the African National Congress and the Alliance, of a South Africa that belongs to all who live in it, Black and White.
Ultimately South Africa will attract the levels of investment needed to defeat unemployment, poverty, inequality and crime; when we place our house in order. That is a task that only South Africans can and must do.
Issued by COSATU
Matthew Parks (COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator)
Cell: 082 785 0687
Email: matthew@cosatu.org.za