US misinformation failing to undermine SA’s foreign policy independence

SOUTH Africa’s conduct in international relations during 2025 reflected a sustained effort to preserve integrity and strategic focus amid an increasingly unstable global environment marked by geopolitical fragmentation, economic strain on developing countries, and weakening multilateralism.

- DR RENEVA FOURIE

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump engaging on Afrikaner genocide misinformation during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, Washington DC on May 21.

(AFP)

These dynamics were exacerbated by Donald Trump's second term as US president and the America First doctrine, which favoured unilateralism. Against this backdrop, South Africa adopted principled, consistent positions rooted in its longstanding foreign policy.

While this drew resistance from powerful actors, it strengthened South Africa’s standing in the Global South and multilateral forums, demonstrating discipline internationally. A major source of tension emerged from South Africa's decision to file a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice over its atrocities in Gaza.

While the case carried significant symbolic and moral weight, it was overshadowed by the scale of human suffering that motivated it. Tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians were killed, hundreds of thousands displaced, and extensive civilian infrastructure destroyed.

Reports of hunger, disease, torture and sexual violence against Palestinian detainees intensified global condemnation of Israel. The conflict also expanded into a low-intensity regional war, with severe attacks on Lebanon and Iran, raising fears of wider escalation. The US responded with strong alignment with Israel and irritation with South Africa’s stance. It withdrew aid, disproportionately applied tariffs, boycotted the G20 Summit, and threatened sanctions. It armed Israel and, at the UN Security Council, the US repeatedly used its veto to block ceasefire resolutions.