'We are here to improve trade and investment relations': Ramaphosa navigates tense talks with Trump

South Africa has a crime problem, not a white genocide problem, and the investments being sought from the US will go a long way in assisting the country in its fight against rampant crime.

This is the message the South African delegation led by President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised during its meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday.

Crime dominated the discussions, with South Africa arguing it affected everyone and not just white Afrikaners, some of whom have fled to the US.

South African billionaire Johann Rupert, Cosatu leader Zingiswa Losi and agriculture minister John Steenhuisen stood firm, backing Ramaphosa and defending the country against the falsehoods being spread from the White House that there was white genocide in South Africa and that farmers’ land was being confiscated.

“We have too many deaths, but it’s across the board, it’s not only white farmers, it’s across the board,” said Rupert.

He said the US could help with its technology, especially Starlink, which could be installed in police stations to help the fight against crime.

“We need your help to stop this awful killing, but it’s across the board.”

Rupert suggested that crime was being committed by illegal immigrants and that South Africans also resorted to crime due to unemployment.

“If we don’t get our economy to growth, the culture of dependency and the lawlessness will increase.”

Ramaphosa, Losi and Rupert sought to move the conversation, which had become tense, away from white genocide, and called for the US to help South Africa deal with its crime problem by placing resources at its disposal.

Ramaphosa was adamant that he and his delegation were in the US to restore relations and foster trade and investment deals. These deals would go a long way in resolving the crime problem in South Africa, he said. 

“One of the areas of support is in investments. We’ve got to grow our economy because through growing the economy we’re then able to create more jobs because crime really thrives where there is inequality and unemployment,” said Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa was adamant that trade and investment discussions were what had “brought us here”, signalling that he and his delegation did not come to Trump with a begging bowl and that the relationship between the two countries was “mutually beneficial”.

“So our main reason for being here is to foster trade and investment so that we are able to grow our economy.”

He said the US's support was needed to address these societal problems because criminality thrives when people are unemployed and they have no other hope to make a living.

“So that is what we need to resolve and your support and partnership with us is what is really going to give us a strong capability to move forward,” said Ramaphosa.

Losi said they were focused on clinching trade and investment deals.

“At the centre of it all is the importance of growing the economy. We have always emphasised when negotiating on Agoa the 600 US companies that are based in South Africa. As you said, President Ramaphosa, 500,000 jobs will be wiped out. We need more foreign direct investment in our country,” said Losi.

“We are not just talking about those that will lose employment, but we are talking about over 40% of people that are unemployed that will have no hope of ever finding jobs.”

Losi added that South Africa needs to deal with its porous borders so that everyone that comes in is documented.

Losi also addressed the land confiscation narrative emphasising that there was a willing buyer, willing seller agreement in the country.

“There is a willing buyer, willing seller in South Africa. So there is no expropriation without compensation,” she said.

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