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Daily Maverick
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
In the wake of Trump's assault on Ramaphosa, can SA and the US find a new equilibrium?
The South African delegation's decision to maintain calm, even in the face of provocation, appears to be a strategic tactic to de-escalate tensions and reset the relationship. President Cyril Ramaphosa's recent visit to Washington, DC, has offered a platform for resetting relations and exposed deep fissures in bilateral relations. The challenges of navigating a world increasingly shaped by ideological polarisation and performative politics were laid bare in the livestreamed meeting between Ramaphosa and his entourage and President Donald Trump and his staff. The meeting was anything but routine – while not descending to the level of chaos that characterised the Trump-Zelensky meeting, the American president did confront (read: ambush) Ramaphosa on claims of white genocide. A video featuring Julius Malema's trademark inflammatory rhetoric and a row of white crosses was presented as evidence of state-sanctioned violence against white farmers. Ramaphosa remained composed (looking bemused, even) and rebutted these claims, emphasising South Africa's commitment to multiparty democracy and clarifying that EFF and MK sentiment reflected a minority view and did not reflect government policy. While observers have offered a mixed interpretation, mine is that the meeting went as well as could be expected, given how acerbic American criticism of South Africa has been in the context of increasingly tense relations. The South African delegation's decision to maintain calm, even in the face of provocation, appears a strategic tactic to de-escalate tensions and reset the relationship on a firmer footing – leading with an honest assessment of the on-the-ground realities (albeit with unnecessarily graphic descriptions of crime from some in the delegation) and using a not-too-assertive approach. The logic, it seems, was to use the visit as a platform to correct misperceptions and begin a reset, without provoking further rupture. Beneath a difficult relationship While the meeting has been closely watched, the underlying deterioration in the relationship is far more complex. These are two actors with fundamentally divergent worldviews amid a failure to find common understanding at a time when a global realignment appears to be under way. On one side is a resurgent US under a Trump-led foreign policy that is transactional, nationalist and deeply sceptical of multilateralism. Trump's White House has embraced a worldview framed around selective alliances based on loyalty rather than shared values. In this context, South Africa's non-alignment – a cornerstone of its post-apartheid foreign policy – has been recast in Washington as defiance, or worse, outright hostility. Pretoria, for its part, sees itself as part of a multipolar future in which there is a more equitable seat at the table for those in the Global South. South Africa's BRICS membership, deepening ties with China and Russia, and outspoken criticism of Western dominance in global institutions are not anomalies, but features of a strategy that sees the Global South as no longer beholden to the geopolitical logic of the Cold War or unipolar American power. Ramaphosa's government has made clear that his administration's foreign policy is driven by constitutional principles, historic solidarity with anti-colonial struggles, and a desire for global equity. Washington, however, views these positions through a much narrower and increasingly ideological lens. Ramaphosa's visit was intended to highlight the country's diversity, being honest about its challenges, but reaffirming a commitment to inclusive governance, while perhaps also trying to re-explain South Africa's foreign policy outlook. He went there with a conciliatory tone, an appreciation of American contributions to the global order, and a desire to boost trade and investment, clothed as a request for help. Solid foundation for cooperation There is a solid foundation for continuing economic and political cooperation. The US is an important trading partner for South Africa, with 600 US companies active in the country, while several South African firms also invest heavily in the US. Indeed, South Africa offers a range of opportunities for US economic engagement across multiple sectors, including renewables, mineral resources, ICT, infrastructure development and agriculture. Furthermore, both nations share interests in regional stability. South Africa plays a crucial role in peacekeeping and conflict mediation efforts on the continent, particularly in southern Africa and the Great Lakes region. The US has faced a changing landscape of global influence in Africa, and partnering with Pretoria can offer it a different platform for engagement. But even shared interests have proven vulnerable to distortion in the current climate, risking being drowned out by mutual mistrust, symbolic politics and domestic pressures. While not a diplomatic breakthrough, the media spectacle of Ramaphosa's visit exposed how deeply domestic political imperatives now shape bilateral engagement. If it serves any form of substantive turning point, it is in making clear that a recalibration will require deeper diplomacy (including public diplomacy) as well as political will behind the scenes. For South Africa, the key question is whether it can pursue a principled foreign policy while maintaining strategic relationships with major powers. For the US, the challenge is to recognise that non-alignment is not hostility, and that partnership is most successful when built on mutual respect, not coercion. Essential steps Looking ahead, a few steps are essential if this relationship is to be salvaged. First, there needs to be a revival of diplomatic dialogue beyond theatrical moments. Both countries have long-standing mechanisms for bilateral engagement that should be reactivated at a senior level, with clear channels for addressing areas of tension. To this end, South Africa needs diplomatic representation that can cut past the rhetoric and get through to important figures in the Trump administration. Second, both sides must invest in the Track II relationships that have traditionally undergirded diplomacy – business partnerships, academic exchange and civil society dialogue. These are often more resilient than government-to-government relations and can provide ballast in turbulent times. Finally, there must be a recognition that the world is changing. South Africa is no longer simply a beneficiary of US aid or a passive participant in Western-led initiatives. It is a regional power with assertive diplomatic positioning and, despite having constrained and uneven power, an important voice on the international stage. That voice will not always echo Washington's, but if treated with respect, it can still be an ally. Indeed, diplomatic equilibrium does not necessarily require identical interpretations of the world, but it does require strategic maturity. Ramaphosa's visit did not mend fences, but it did force both sides to confront the new reality of their relationship. Whether this signals rupture or renewal remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the work of diplomacy must now begin in earnest, far from the cameras and the media, and rooted in the hard, often uncomfortable, business of listening. Ramaphosa's visit underscores the importance of sustained, high-level diplomatic engagement. It is a reminder that diplomacy, though often tested, remains essential in bridging divides and fostering understanding in an increasingly fragmented world. DM
Daily Maverick
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Shivambu still at odds with MK leadership over visit to fugitive pastor Shepherd Bushiri
Shivambu visited Shepherd Bushiri's Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church over the Easter weekend, which drew widespread criticism for appearing to embolden those who believe they can evade accountability. A month after his controversial visit to fugitive pastor Shepherd Bushiri's church in Malawi, uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party Secretary-General Floyd Shivambu says the trip to Malawi was approved by party president Jacob Zuma, despite the party denouncing the visit to Bushiri as having been taken on Shivambu's own accord and not sanctioned by MK leadership. Shivambu visited Bushiri's Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church over the Easter weekend in April, a move that drew widespread criticism for appearing to embolden those who believe they can evade accountability. On Wednesday, 28 May, the SABC's political editor, Mzwandile Mbeje, asked Shivambu why he had visited a fugitive wanted by the South African authorities. Shivambu replied that on 21 March, after he and Zuma attended the inauguration of Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, 'we were sitting with former president Joyce Banda of Malawi. And we were also sitting with the incumbent Deputy President, Michael Usi of Malawi … and President Zuma said that we must make follow-up on the discussions that were raised.' Shivambu said he went to Malawi in accordance with Zuma's wishes and visited Banda. 'After that, I went to see Prophet Shepherd Bushiri to have broad discussions. I know him. We used to have interactions when he was here in South Africa, and then he said, 'I am going to a church service later on, let's go.' Who am I to refuse to go to a church?' Mbeje questioned him about a statement the MK party released distancing itself from his meeting with Bushiri. The statement said Shivambu undertook the visit in his personal capacity and without the mandate or knowledge of the MK party. Shivambu said on Wednesday, 'I think the unfortunate statement was out of the misunderstanding of what got to transpire in terms of the visit itself.' 'We stand by the statement' MK party national spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela, however, told Daily Maverick on Thursday that the party stood by the statement, which was sanctioned by the party's presidency and released several hours after videos and images of Shivambu at the church began circulating on social media. He said Zuma's office would have corrected the statement if there had been a misunderstanding. 'We do not just issue statements. They go through checks and balances first. If we didn't stand by the statement, the president would have released a statement by now to say it was not true. Have you seen a statement from the office of the president? Have you seen the party retract any statements?' said Ndhlela. Probed further, Ndhlela said he had reached out to Shivambu: 'I have asked the SG to clarify where the misunderstanding was. As a leader of the organisation, this concerns me, because to protect the organisation, we have to be honest with our people.' Shivambu declined Daily Maverick's request to comment further on the issue. Defending Bushiri Bushiri fled South Africa in 2020 while facing charges that included rape and fraud. His and his wife's departure from South Africa was described as a direct violation of their bail conditions and prompted an official extradition request to the Malawian government. The request was subsequently delivered at the office of the Attorney-General in Malawi on 5 December 2020. The South African government has since been attempting to extradite the pair through a complicated legal process. In March 2025, a Malawian court ruled that the Bushiris could be extradited to South Africa, but they were expected to appeal the decision. Shivambu defended himself saying: 'I am not a law enforcement agency, one; but two, factually, there is no court ruling in Malawi which South Africa has been pursuing to declare or characterise Bushiri as a fugitive. If there was such, the Malawian government would have handed him over.' At the time of visiting the church, Bushiri welcomed Shivambu as a businessman, politician and family man, announcing his presence and support for African affairs. 'Sadly, some still peddle jealousy and negativity, labelling successful black individuals as 'corrupt' and 'must be investigated', while praising white individuals as 'investors'. That's not pan-Africanism; that's jealousy. Let's move beyond politics of attrition,' said Bushiri. Internal division Shivambu's future in the MK party appears to be somewhat bleak. When he joined the party in August 2024, there was huge opposition from those who had founded or joined before his defection from the EFF. One his harshest critics is Zuma's daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, who is said to be part of a faction that believes that high-profile members who came from the EFF and ANC and were parachuted into senior positions, including Shivambu, Dali Mpofu, Mzwanele Manyi and Willies Mchunu, are destroying what the 'December 2023 crew' had started. In February, Zuma-Sambudla went on a rant on X, making negative remarks and insulting Shivambu with comments that he was 'the worst thing that happened to MK', 'useless', and calling him ' Mafikizolo ', which loosely translates to 'newcomer'. Zuma's office instructed her to apologise or face expulsion from the party and she apologised. The same faction has criticised Shivambu's leadership style, highlighting his removal of regional and subregional leaders, his takeover of finances, and his decision to strictly monitor access to Zuma — a move he defended as a characteristic 'of all self-respecting organisations'. In March, Daily Maverick reported that Mxolisi Mthethwa, the party's Zululand coordinator, had raised concerns about Shivambu's leadership, citing poor decision-making, lack of consultation and abuse of power. In a formal letter, he called for an investigation and possible disciplinary action, including removing Shivambu from office. However, Magasela Mzobe, the party's head of presidency, defended Shivambu, saying: 'The president and the collective leadership of the MK party have full confidence in the secretary-general and the president has no intention of removing him.' DM
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
‘He's talking rubbish,' Malema responds to Shivambu's comments on EFF
Shivambu claims the MK party can successfully recruit EFF members. EFF leader Julius Malema has responded to MK party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu's comments about EFF leaders. In an interview with the SABC on Wednesday, Shivambu dismissed claims that the MK party was out to destroy the EFF. He, however, said his party could successfully recruit EFF leaders if it wished. 'I'm the one who took the decision to join the MK party, I was not recruited. I went to join the MK party. I approached the MK party to become an ordinary member,' Shivambu told SABC. ALSO READ: 'My brothers turned against me': Malema addresses 'betrayals' 'There is no one who is destroying the EFF. If there was an intention to do so, we could have a programme to recruit members of the EFF to join MK party, which we can successfully do so, by the way, including the national officials of the EFF, we can be able to recruit them. Because a lot of them, when we appraised them before we joined the MK, understood squarely and fairly that it had to be done in that particular way. Including provincial and regional leaders.' Shivambu said, however, that the focus of his party was to unite 'progressive forces', not destroy them 'It can be done, but we're not in a mission of trying to destroy the EFF. We're on a mission to make a political and ideological organisational decision and discussion on how we can unite the progressive forces.' ALSO READ: Mbuyiseni Ndlozi resigns from Julius Malema's EFF: Here's what he is doing next Responding to the comments, Malema said Shivambu was 'talking rubbish'. Malema: EFF and MK party will not join forces In March, the MK party and the African Transformation Movement (ATM) agreed to collaborate on all political, community, and parliamentary programmes and activities. 'We jointly call on all progressive political formations and individuals in South Africa to support and associate with the revolutionary and long overdue efforts to unify all the progressive forces. Unity is the most important weapon in the war against colonialism and for the total emancipation and freedom of our people,' said the two parties in a statement. ALSO READ: Even Zuma was better than Trump – Malema Following President Cyril Ramaphosa's visit to the US, where Minister of Agriculture and DA leader John Steenhuisen told US President Donald Trump that his party and the ANC were working together to keep the MK party and EFF out of power, there were calls for the latter parties to join forces. However, Malema at the time told his followers it would not happen. Shivambu left the EFF in August last year, completely blind siding Malema. The two have not had kind words to say of each other since then. READ NEXT: 'Older men gossiping about me': Malema reacts to Ramaphosa-Trump meeting after Kill the Boer videos
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mom picks up daughter from school—then hears 5 words she'll never forget
When Florida mom Kat Stickler picked up her 5-year-old daughter from school recently, she wasn't prepared for the life update that came next. As they buckled in and began the familiar drive home, her daughter Mary Katherine—known affectionately as MK—spoke up from the backseat with confidence and joy:'I'm going to marry him.' Stickler, 30, shared the now-viral moment in an Instagram video that's already reached over 15 million views. And while it might've seemed like a typical car ride, this one was unforgettable. 'This was the first time she had ever mentioned a crush at all,' Stickler told Newsweek. 'I could honestly tell whatever she had to say was going to be hilarious and beautiful because she literally came out of school skipping with a huge smile on her face.' When asked how she was so sure, MK replied with unwavering certainty:'No, never. I'm not [marrying anyone else].' And while MK was quick to clarify that he's not technically her boyfriend ('He's still, he's like, five'), she made one thing crystal clear:'I love his heart.' Cue all of our hearts melting. Related: I hope my kids have 'forever friends'—like the ones I have MK then shared what made this classmate so special:'He told me I'm so beautiful and I'm so funny.' And, in true five-year-old fashion, she had a very practical next step—she wanted her mom to be friends with his mom so they could have playdates. We're not crying. You're crying. Stickler's favorite part? How excited her daughter was to share it all. 'I want her to always feel like she can tell me absolutely anything and everything,' she told Newsweek. And that's the true heart of this moment. Not just a story about a sweet childhood crush—but a reminder of the kind of safe, open connection we all hope to build with our kids. Stickler's approach sparked praise across social media. Parents loved how she gently asked questions like whether the boy had said MK was smart, and how she didn't brush off her daughter's feelings as 'just a phase.' ''Be friends with his mom' LOLLLL this girl is smart,' said @themindfulblonde. 'Okay but like her confidence is everything,' added @thechristylopez. Related: 10 phrases to start a meaningful conversation with your kids Turns out, MK's plan is already in motion. Stickler said, 'We actually bumped into each other last week at school drop off and were cracking up at the two of them, so the friendship is already blossoming.' And the best part? Now Stickler and MK have a story of their own to laugh about for years to come—just like Stickler remembers her own first crush.'I remember when I told my mom about my first crush… and over 20 years later my mom and I still laugh about how much I loved [him],' she told Newsweek. Because some moments are just too pure not to remember forever.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Mom Picks Up Daughter From School, Unprepared for What She Says Next
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Florida mom could not believe what her five-year-old said in the car on the way home from school. Kat Stickler, 30, was driving home when her daughter revealed her love for a special someone—and a life plan. Stickler posted the conversation on Instagram, which has gone viral, amassing 15.4 million views since it was posted last week. "I'm going to marry him," Mary Katherine (or MK as she's known) said from the backseat. Mom with short brown hair sat in car covering her hand with her mouth, shocked expression. Mom with short brown hair sat in car covering her hand with her mouth, shocked expression. @katstickler Covering her mouth in shock and in an effort to conceal a smile, Stickler started recording. "This was the first time she had ever mentioned a crush at all," she told Newsweek. "I could honestly tell whatever she had to say was going to be hilarious and beautiful because she literally came out of school skipping with a huge smile on her face." Intrigued, Sticker asked her daughter, "But how do you know you're gonna [sic] marry him? What if you end up marrying someone else?" With charm and confidence, MK insisted, "No, never. I'm not." Stickler explained that the boy in question was in MK's class, adding that while her daughter doesn't consider him her boyfriend ("He's still, he's like, five," MK reasoned), she is absolutely certain about one thing: "I love his heart." The conversation turned even sweeter when MK shared the compliments that won her over. "He told me I'm so beautiful and I'm so funny," she said. Without missing a beat, MK urged her mom to be friends with his mom so the two of them can have playdates. "My favorite part of the conversation was how excited she was to tell me," Stickler said. "I want her to always feel like she can tell me absolutely anything and everything." The clip caused hysterics among viewers. "'Be friends with his mom' LOLLLL this girl is smart," one user laughed. "Okay but like her confidence is everything," another added. Many other users also praised Stickler for how she handled the conversation, asking her daughter if the boy had told her she was smart and for not dismissing her for saying something silly. As for that playdate plan? It's already in motion. "We actually bumped into each other last week at school drop off and were cracking up at the two of them, so the friendship is already blossoming," Stickler laughed. "Her plan worked." The mom's reaction was that her little girl is growing up. "I remember when I told my mom about my first crush (his name was Taylor; yes I still remember) and over 20 years later my mom and I still laugh about how much I loved [him]." Now, Stickler and MK have their own story to laugh about in the future.
