President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said South Africa is being punished by the United States for pursuing its national interests, drawing parallels with Zimbabwe’s own long-standing tensions with Washington.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order cutting aid to South Africa, citing the country’s move to bring a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and claims of discrimination against white farmers.
Speaking to reporters in Harare on Saturday night after returning from a joint summit of Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC) leaders in Tanzania, Mnangagwa expressed solidarity with South Africa.
He described Trump’s order as part of a broader pattern of external pressure from what he called “imperialists.” Said Mnangagwa (via The Sunday Mail):
Both South Africa and Zimbabwe are seasoned boys in the struggle for independence, freedom and that the imperialists can do what they do.
We shall pursue what we think is best for our countries.
South Africa has been punished not for doing anything against any country, but doing what they think is best for themselves. That was the case with Zimbabwe.
On Saturday, Ronald Lamola, South Africa’s Minister for International Relations, said that Trump’s move was based on misinformation. Said Lamola:
We are concerned by what seems to be a campaign of misinformation and propaganda aimed at misrepresenting our great nation.
It is disappointing to observe that such narratives seem to have found favour among decision-makers in the United States of America.
Trump’s order claims that South Africa’s Land Expropriation Act reflects policies that discriminate against white farmers.
However, the Act actually permits land to be taken without compensation only in specific cases, like when the land is abandoned or poses a risk to the public.
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