SOUTH AFRICA'S LEADER FAILS TO RISE TO TRUMP BAIT

Seasoned Cyril Ramaphosa earns praise for keeping cool at White House meet.

- By Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo

Facing a barrage of debunked claims from US President Donald Trump that white people were being persecuted in his country, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa remained composed, pushed back politely and even tried to joke with Mr Trump.

Mr Ramaphosa may have drawn on his experience as the African National Congress's lead negotiator in talks that led to the peaceful end of apartheid in 1994 during Wednesday's televised confrontation in the Oval Office.

"His conduct was in keeping with the proud diplomatic tradition of President Nelson Mandela," said Mr Ramaphosa's party the African National Congress, invoking the legacy of the revered liberation struggle leader and first black president.

Repeatedly interrupted by Mr Trump, Mr Ramaphosa calmly challenged claims that minority Afrikaners were the targets of a "white genocide". The once fringe theory has been exponentially amplified by Mr Trump and his South African-born ally Elon Musk.

"There is criminality in our country. People who do get killed, unfortunately, through criminal activity are not only white people. Majority of them are black people," said Mr Ramaphosa.

The way he handled Mr Trump's onslaught was mostly drawing praise back home on Thursday. "President Ramaphosa did well to maintain a calm demeanour and he did well to stick to the facts as close as possible," said author Pieter du Toit.

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said Mr Ramaphosa kept sight of the bigger picture and did not take the bait.