South Africa must reject American bullying and Ramaphosa’s cowardice

South Africa is a country that is still fighting the remnants of imperialist thoughts and behaviours and that is why the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) noted with contempt the arrogant posture of the United States government regarding the visit of the Chief of the South African National Defence Force to Iran.

It is not enough that we are still dealing with white supremacists in our country but now we must contend with misguided and overreaching fake concerns by Trump’s government which is seeking clarity on the visit.

It is preposterous that as a sovereign state we are relegated to a junior partner by Washington every time it chooses to exercise its freedom in matters of our diplomacy, economy, trade, or military cooperation. As the EFF we reject this.

South Africa does not owe the United States an explanation for the conduct of its foreign policy or the activities of its armed forces. Our country is not a colony.

We are not a client state nor are we an outpost of American imperialism on the African continent. We are an independent nation, born out of struggle, and we reserve the right to engage with whomever we deem fit.

Our relations with Iran, like our relations with all nations, are determined by our own interests, and not by the emotions of Donald Trump or any other occupant of the White House.

General Maphwanya’s visit to Iran was not a reckless act, nor was it a provocation of the United States. It was an engagement that had been planned as far back as 2024 which was before the latest flare up of tensions between Washington and Tehran.

America’s enemies are not our enemies, and South Africa must continue to freely associate with any nation of its choosing, especially those that are part of BRICS. Our foreign policy and independence should never be dictated to by Washington.

The hypocrisy of the United States is exposed by its audacity to lecture South Africa on its foreign affairs. This is the same government that sends billions of dollars in military aid to Israel, a settler colonial regime that murders Palestinians daily and subjects them to apartheid and genocide.

It is the same America that has been providing Ukraine with weapons even as South Africa maintains friendly and historical relations with Russia.

At no point has South Africa demanded answers from Washington for its open support of those who kill and oppress our allies. Yet Trump presumes that he can summon us to account for visiting Iran, a sovereign state which has consistently stood with the oppressed people of Palestine.

Ramaphosa’s silence in the face of this bullying is deafening. Instead of defending our sovereignty, he has sought to distance himself from the visit thus presenting it as though the Chief of the SANDF had gone rogue.

His behaviour is cowardice of the highest order. It is an embarrassing attempt to pre-empt American displeasure by portraying our own military leadership as reckless.

In truth, Ramaphosa is once again demonstrating his instinct to bow before Washington. He is repeating the shameful conduct he displayed in the Oval Office, where he could not assert South Africa’s independence and failed to defend our constitution in the face of imperial arrogance.

We must call Ramaphosa’s behaviour for what it is, servility dressed as diplomacy. The president has no backbone and is always prepared to sacrifice the dignity of our country in order to win the approval of America.

He has no faith in the ability of South Africa to chart its own course, so he defaults to appeasement. This behaviour is not just a personal weakness but an insult to the generations of South Africans who fought and died for our freedom, believing that one day this country would stand tall among the nations of the world.

What the EFF considers more dangerous is Ramaphosa’s continued interference with the military. The independence of the SANDF must never be compromised to shield cowardly politicians. The military cannot be used as a scapegoat for Ramaphosa’s political weakness.

Its leadership must not be forced into issuing apologies or justifications to sanitise the spinelessness of the President. Politicians, even those who hold the title of Commander-in-Chief, cannot dictate to the military on matters that are operational and professional.

The SANDF must never be reduced to a toy to be used by politicians in a bid to weaken key institutions of our democracy whilst appeasing the west.

The EFF reaffirms its support for Iran’s right to self defence against imperialist aggression, and for its unwavering role as an ally of Palestine in the struggle against Israeli genocide.

South Africa must not be intimidated into silence or into abandoning our friends. Our foreign policy must be driven by principle, not by fear.

We must engage with Iran and with all nations that resist imperial domination, not in defiance of America, but in pursuit of our own dignity and independence.

The EFF wants America to come to terms with the fact that the days of unilateral dominance are over. The world is shifting irreversibly towards a multipolar order and power is no longer concentrated in one imperial capital.

Countries are reclaiming their independence, forging new alliances, and engaging with each other on equal terms. South Africa must therefore place itself firmly on the side of this new world, where sovereignty, equality, and solidarity are the guiding principles.

We cannot therefore allow Ramaphosa’s affinity to the west to set us back as a country because doing so would be undermining the democracy that was fought and paid for with the blood of our people.

An EFF government would never allow a situation where the country finds itself in a position where our foreign policy is reduced to appeasing the emotions of an American president. We will always assert, with clarity and with courage, our right to determine our own path.

As a country we must choose to either stand as a sovereign nation, guided by principle and solidarity with the oppressed, or we kneel before empire, reduced to a client state dressed in the illusion of independence.

The EFF is clear. We choose sovereignty. We choose dignity. We choose to stand with the oppressed people of the world. South Africa must never again be reduced to explaining itself to imperial masters. We are free, and our freedom is not negotiable. President Ramaphosa should know that by now.

*Julius Malema is the CIC and President of the Economic Freedom Fighters

*The opinions expressed in this article does not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper.

DAILY NEWS