New US act seeks to punish SA for daring to speak out on Israel

On 22 July, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee advanced the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act in a 34-16 vote. Introduced in April by Congressman Ronny Jackson, the bill is cloaked in diplomatic language, claiming to “strengthen US-South African ties”.

- Themba Dlamini

But beneath the façade, it reads like a warning shot. If passed, it would empower the US government to sanction South African officials under the Global Magnitsky Act — a law designed to target the world’s worst human rights offenders and kleptocrats.

Let's not pretend this is about corruption. South Africa has its own demons, from State Capture to service delivery failures. But if corruption were truly the standard, many of the US's allies — some with far worse records — would be on the same list.

This isn’t a principled stand. It’s a geopolitical lever. Nor is nonalignment an endorsement. To engage Russia, China or Iran is not to sanctify them. To criticise Israel is not to erase Hamas's crimes. But in Washington's current mood, anything short of full compliance is labelled complicity.