Latest news with #WitsSchoolofGovernance
eNCA
22-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
South Africans angered by Trump's 'genocide' claims
South Africans voiced anger Thursday at US President Donald Trump's persistent false claim of a genocide against white farmers that were repeated in talks with President Cyril Ramaphosa. The talks between the two presidents Wednesday were aimed at repairing relations that have nosedived since Trump took office in January, later threatening high trade tariffs and expelling the South African ambassador. "I am not happy," university student Nicole Mbhele told AFP. "He made it seem like we want to kill white people or white farmers for our land, or (for) wanting it back," she said. A video aired during the meeting showed the leader of a fringe, radical opposition party chanting a song from the anti-apartheid struggle about "killing" white farmers. Trump also repeated baseless allegations that South Africa was expropriating land from the minority white Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers who own more than three-quarters of commercial farmland. "Donald Trump does not have facts about what is happening in South Africa," said 25-year-old saleswoman Naledi Morwalle. He was making "false accusations about our country", she said. "We are all facing all types and levels of crimes. Both blacks and whites," she said. South Africans followed the meeting live on television and many were proud of the performance of the South African delegation, reinforced by four cabinet ministers and two top golfers. While some said Ramaphosa could have been more adamant in rejecting Trump's baseless claims of a "white genocide", others noted his calm pushback that black South Africans suffer most from the high crime rate. "I think our country did well and actually put the facts out there," said activist Ulrich Steenkamp. "Whether the world responds is up to them," he added. The video played during the meeting, which also showed rows of white crosses in what Trump falsely said were graves of murdered white farmers, clearly rattled Ramaphosa, said analyst Thelela Ngcetane-Vika, of the Wits School of Governance. "In the first half of the session President Ramaphosa was very well prepared, poised as a statesman, diplomatic... but when that video played, you could literally see his body language change, he became uneasy," she told AFP. Ramaphosa should have provided data to disprove Trump's disinformation, she said. An Afrikaans father, Authur Williams, told AFP the success of the talks would only be seen in any trade deals reached between the two major trading partners. "I sincerely hope that economically we will come to an agreement where it's mutually beneficial and there are economic benefits for both parties," he said. By Abdul Salim Nkosi
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
'Trump doesn't have the facts about SA:' South Africans express outrage over Trump's false genocide claims
US President Donald Trump hands papers to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC. Image: Jim WATSON / AFP South Africans voiced anger Thursday at US President Donald Trump's persistent false claim of a genocide against white farmers that were repeated in talks with President Cyril Ramaphosa. The talks between the two presidents Wednesday were aimed at repairing relations that have nosedived since Trump took office in January, later threatening high trade tariffs and expelling the South African ambassador. "I am not happy," university student Nicole Mbhele told AFP. "He made it seem like we want to kill white people or white farmers for our land, or (for) wanting it back," she said. A video aired during the meeting showed the leader of a fringe, radical opposition party chanting a song from the anti-apartheid struggle about "killing" white farmers. Trump also repeated baseless allegations that South Africa was expropriating land from the minority white Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers who own more than three-quarters of commercial farmland. "Donald Trump does not have facts about what is happening in South Africa," said 25-year-old saleswoman Naledi Morwalle. He was making "false accusations about our country", she said. "We are all facing all types and levels of crimes. Both blacks and whites," she said. South Africans followed the meeting live on television and many were proud of the performance of the South African delegation, reinforced by four cabinet ministers and two top golfers. While some said Ramaphosa could have been more adamant in rejecting Trump's baseless claims of a "white genocide", others noted his calm pushback that black South Africans suffer most from the high crime rate. "I think our country did well and actually put the facts out there," said activist Ulrich Steenkamp. "Whether the world responds is up to them," he added. The video played during the meeting, which also showed rows of white crosses in what Trump falsely said were graves of murdered white farmers, clearly rattled Ramaphosa, said analyst Thelela Ngcetane-Vika, of the Wits School of Governance. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ "In the first half of the session, President Ramaphosa was very well prepared, poised as a statesman, diplomatic... but when that video played, you could literally see his body language change, he became uneasy," she told AFP. Ramaphosa should have provided data to disprove Trump's disinformation, she said. An Afrikaans father, Authur Williams, told AFP the success of the talks would only be seen in any trade deals reached between the two major trading partners. "I sincerely hope that economically we will come to an agreement where it's mutually beneficial and there are economic benefits for both parties," he said. Agence France-Presse
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
South Africans angered by Trump's ‘genocide' claims
JOHANNESBURG: South Africans voiced anger Thursday at US President Donald Trump's persistent false claim of a genocide against white farmers that were repeated in talks with President Cyril Ramaphosa. The talks between the two presidents Wednesday were aimed at repairing relations that have nosedived since Trump took office in January, since threatening high trade tariffs and expelling the South African ambassador. 'I am not happy,' university student Nicole Mbhele told AFP. 'He made it seem like we want to kill white people or white farmers for our land or wanting it back,' she said. A video aired during the meeting showed the leader of a fringe, radical opposition party chanting a song from the anti-apartheid struggle about 'killing' white farmers. Trump also repeated baseless allegations that South Africa was expropriating land from the minority white Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers who own more than three-quarters of commercial farmland. 'Donald Trump does not have facts about what is happening in South Africa,' said 25-year-old saleswoman Naledi Morwalle. He was making 'false accusations about our country,' she said. South Africans followed the meeting live on television and many were proud of the performance of the South African delegation, reinforced by four cabinet ministers and two top golfers. While some said Ramaphosa could have been more adamant in rejecting Trump's baseless claims of a 'white genocide', others noted his calm pushback that the black South Africans suffer most from the high crime rate. 'I think our country did well and actually put the facts out there,' said activist Ulrich Steenkamp. 'Whether the world responds is up to them,' he added. The video played during the meeting, which also showed rows of white crosses in what Trump falsely said were graves of murdered white farmers, clearly rattled Ramaphosa, said analyst Thelela Ngcetane-Vika, of the Wits School of Governance. 'In the first half of the session President Ramaphosa was very well prepared, poised as a statesman, diplomatic... but when that video played you could literally see his voice language change, he became uneasy,' she told AFP. Ramaphosa should have provided data to disprove Trump's disinformation, she said. An Afrikaans father, Authur Williams, told AFP the success of the talks would only be seen in any trade deals reached between the two major trading partners. 'I sincerely hope that economically we will come to an agreement where it's mutually beneficial and there are economic benefits for both parties,' he said.
eNCA
19-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
US Global perception declines
JOHANNESBURG - Global perception of the world's major powers are shifting. According to the latest Democracy Perception Index released by Nira Data and the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, South Africa now ranks higher than the United States. READ | Discussion | SA-US relations | Ramaphosa, Trump to meet The US' global perception has declined from 76% in 2024, to 45% this year. Meanwhile President Cyril Ramaphosa is on a working visit to that country this week. Wits School of Governance's, Professor Alex Van Den Heever joins eNCA and discusses this further
