NATIONAL NEWS - President Cyril Ramaphosa is due to arrive in the United States of America (USA) later today as part of a working visit to that country.

He is expected to meet with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday. 

Both Presidents are expected to discuss trade and bilateral relations, amongst others. 

Recently, at least 49 Afrikaaner South Africans left the country for the USA under the guise that they are seeking refuge from a “genocide” in South Africa.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the reburial of struggle icon Advocate Duma Nokwe on Saturday, the President reiterated South Africa’s stance on the matter.

“There’s no genocide in South Africa. That is a fact that’s borne out of a lot of evidence,” he said.

“I’m not worried about anything. We’re going there to discuss trade and our bilateral relations and that’s what we’re going to discuss. It’s country to country and we trade with each other, so we have to relate to each other.

“Just as he [President Trump] meets with other people and I also meet with other people, it’s state to state [and] we’re representing our peoples. We are going to have good discussions on trade,” President Ramaphosa said.

Building relations

The South African government has repeatedly said it will continue engaging with the USA following President Trump’s move earlier this year to halt future funding to South Africa as his administration investigates allegations of “land confiscation” - following President Ramaphosa’s assent of the Expropriation Act.

Government held firm on this stance even as then South African ambassador to the USA Ebrahim Rasool was expelled and a new 30% tariff was imposed on South African exports albeit, the new tariff was paused for 90 days.

“The Government of South Africa remains dedicated to constructive dialogue with United States of America, anchored in mutual respect for sovereignty, the rule of law, and a shared commitment to deepening mutually beneficial bilateral partnership,” the Department of International Relations and Cooperation said in a statement last week.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has announced that Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe has been designated as the Acting President until 22 May.

“This designation flows from the simultaneous Working Visits by President Ramaphosa and Deputy President Paul Mashatile to the United States of America and the Republic of France respectively,” the Presidency said. – SAnews.gov.za

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