Freezing of assets on the line as US moves to sanction ANC officals
The US South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025 calls for a full review of ties and possible sanctions against some ANC officials.
International Relations expert Dr. Kingsley Makhubela says the sanctions could have dire consequences for those officials, including the freezing of assets held abroad and a ban on travel to the US.
He says the bill would also require the US administration to re-evaluate its overall foreign policy stance toward South Africa.
A key concern is the potential threat to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a cornerstone of US-Africa trade that allows select African countries, including South Africa, preferential access to US markets with few or no tariffs to export there.
AGOA is seen as crucial to driving investment.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee approved the bill on Tuesday, with a majority of lawmakers on the committee objecting to South Africa's close ties with Russia and China.
The committee chairman, Brian Mast, added that the ANC's direct engagement with Hamas leaders and the country's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice are further proof of worsening relations between South Africa and the US.
Makhubela says it's urgent that South Africa adopts a foreign policy strategy to navigate its relationship with the US.
However, internal divisions within the Government of National Unity (GNU) are making this difficult.
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