[imagesource: Wikimedia Commons]

The dubious decisions of the ANC government continue to bring harm to South Africa’s economy and reputation.

Besides now being greylisted as a country, the US Congress is debating whether or not we’re worth any kind of relations.

The US House of Representatives has pointed out where exactly SA stands in the global political sphere, considering a resolution – dubbed Resolution 145 or HR145 for short – to oppose SA’s current military exercise with Russia and China, as well as to call on the Biden administration to properly review their relationship with our country.

Our government clearly has no respect for the values entrenched in the South African constitution as it seems to have sided with Russia in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, while also building relations with China.

HR145 clearly shows how disenchanted America has become with Pretoria’s warming relations towards Moscow and Beijing, reported The Daily Maverick.

That joint maritime drill called Exercise Mosi II off the KwaZulu-Natal coast – including Russian, Chinese and local military forces – has been a major cause for concern:

Resolution HR145 contrasts SA’s growing military relations with Russia and China with what it implies is a waning military relationship with the US.

It notes that the US and SA militaries have “historically undertaken joint military exercises and enjoyed good relations, including South Africa hosting American troops for Exercise ‘Shared Accord’ in 2022, the fourth time they have hosted this exercise since 2011.”

Since SA declined to take part in US military exercises this year, HR145 has called on SA “to cancel all future military exercises with the People’s Republic of China and Russia and rejoin United States-led exercises, such as the ‘‘Cutlass Express’”.

A new bill designating Russia as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, calling out all its supporters and affiliates, is also about to pass in the US Congress, which could very much include SA as HR145 points out “Pretoria is no longer non-aligned” and has “chosen Russia’s side”.

Besides President Biden possibly bypassing South Africa because of its friendship with Russia in his upcoming trip to Africa, the US is also thinking of taking away a few perks:

Ominously, resolution HR145 calls on the Biden administration to provide Congress with a detailed account of the economic benefits South Africa derives from its inclusion in America’s African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) and the United States-South Africa Trade and Investment Framework signed in 2012.

Agoa gives duty and quota-free access to most SA exports to the US and has been a significant boon to South African exporters, particularly of motor vehicles and fruit.

The instruction to the administration to examine the benefits of Agoa suggests that Congress is considering the possibility of depriving SA of those benefits because of its growing relations with Russia and China.

Besides SA not using its politics to actively abate the war in Ukraine, the Resolution also noted that the ANC and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) “engage in consistent interparty cooperation in spite of South Africa’s Constitution being opposed to the CCP’s routine suppression of free expression and individual rights”.

However, it seems Resolution HR145 won’t pass in congress anyway as it is sponsored by junior representatives who have little influence in the House of Representatives.

Still, it is terribly tragic to see SA’s energy going to the wrong places.

[source:dailymaverick]