South African Correspondent
Johannesburg-South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will aim to reset strained relations with the United States during a visit to Washington this week, with discussions expected to focus on business opportunities involving Elon Musk’s companies, including Tesla and Starlink, officials confirmed Monday.
Ramaphosa’s meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday comes amid escalating tensions over South Africa’s land reform policies, its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, and recent U.S. decisions to cut funding and grant refugee status to a group of white South Americans alleging racial persecution—a claim Pretoria rejects.
Trade Proposals on the Table
Central to the talks will be a trade proposal designed to ease friction. South African officials are prepared to offer favorable tariffs for Tesla imports in exchange for the electric vehicle giant building charging infrastructure in the country.
“This could be one of the points discussed,” Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said in a text message.
He also confirmed that licensing for Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink, would be addressed.
The U.S. has reportedly pressured nations to approve Starlink, per a recent Washington Post report citing State Department cables.
Musk, a South Africa-born billionaire and Trump ally, previously claimed Starlink was blocked in his home country due to his race, alleging bias against Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) rules requiring foreign telecom firms to sell 30% of local subsidiaries to historically disadvantaged groups.
South Africa’s telecom regulator denied the accusation in March, stating Starlink had not formally applied for a license.
Agricultural Concerns Loom
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, part of Ramaphosa’s delegation, emphasized the urgency of preserving duty-free access for farm exports to the U.S. under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), now under threat due to Trump’s tariff policies.
“Losing these benefits would be disastrous for farmers, farm workers, and the economy at large,” Steenhuisen warned in a statement.
A Fragile Diplomatic Balance
The White House has yet to comment on the agenda, but analysts view the outreach as critical for South Africa, which risks further economic fallout amid U.S. scrutiny.
Ramaphosa’s pivot to Musk-linked ventures underscores a strategic bid to leverage the tech mogul’s influence with Trump while addressing domestic priorities like energy infrastructure and internet access.
Whether the proposals will sway Trump—or Musk—remains uncertain. For now, Pretoria’s message is clear:
“We are committed to mutually beneficial partnerships,” Magwenya said.
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