Ramaphosa’s Hour of Vagueness at Trump’s Grilling Chair

President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa had his well deserved moment of ignominy at Donald Trump’s Oval office hot seat. Donald Trump put Mr. Ramaphosa to task allegedly for presiding over a government which Trump claimed has been conducting genocide against white farmers.

Trump confronted Ramaphosa with video and pictorial evidence in support of his claims which evidently caught the South African president by surprise. (Most of the pictures produced by Trump have been confirmed as inauthentic). In one of the videos, Mr. Malema, a populist South African politician is seen in a fully parked stadium calling for killing of whites.

One may not agree with Trump on everything. But one has to really appreciate the fact that his transparent way of conducting business brings quite an interesting theatrical twist in the world of diplomacy. Trump seemed to have done his homework and asked the right questions to which Ramaphosa gave the wrong answers.

–on whether the government has arrested the guy who was calling for killing of white farmers…a visibly shaken Ramaphosa mumbled something to the effect that they have a constitution in South Africa which guarantees freedom of speech! Trump wondered whether such freedom allows calling for genocide against a section of the population. Ramaphosa’s elusive response was…the guy speaking is not a member of government and that Malema’s views doesn’t reflect the government position.

There was a question of having laws that allow for expropriation of whites owned land without compensation. The response was horribly unconvincing…that the constitution doesn’t allow such manner of land acquisition. His response was devoid of any administrative measures his government has taken, taking or intends to take to specifically protect land rights of the targeted group. He didn’t state whether his government has sponsored or intends to sponsor legislative amendments in parliament with the aim of repealing all the racist laws. Note that there are about one hundred and forty racist-anti white pieces of legislation in South Africa. He didn’t even state whether South African courts can or have intervened in protecting rights of the white minority group.

On the accusation of genocide, though unsubstantiated, Ramaphosa failed to defend his country. He merely indicated that he’s not aware of the same and that crime is colour-blind in South Africa. Then he gleefully paraded some white men, coalition partners and Trump’s golfing buddies as evidence of racial harmony in South Africa. Whenever Ramaphosa lacked an answer, he would cunningly drop the name of Nelson Mandela with the hope of tranquilizing Trump’s apprentice tongue. It didn’t work. Ramaphosa failed to convince Trump that, given the country’s history of apartheid and racial inequality, there’s bound to be grievances against big land owners, both white and black and that populist politicians who can exploit such situation are not in short supply. Dismissing the genocide allegation as usual street crime which affects all races was thoroughly inadequate.

Well, there’s no denying that racist attacks in South Africa are quite alarming. However, under Ramaphosa’s leadership such attacks have spiralled out of control. Therefore, murder of white farmers cannot be justified by the equally out of control murders of black South Africans. No wonder Johannesburg is referred to as the ‘murder capital of the world’. Statistics indicate an average of 74 murders in South Africa per day! Being a white farmer in South Africa today may be considered as the most dangerous job in the world!

Over the last ten years, about a million white South Africans have fled to America, Europe, Australia and other countries. In addressing historical injustices, ANC came with BEE, Black Economic Empowerment programme. An initiative created with noble intentions but badly implemented. The BEE programme requires every company operating in South Africa must have 30% black South Africans as employees. The only qualifications are skin colour and ANC membership. The fact that the ANC government has been practicing apartheid in reverse cannot be gainsaid. By exploiting the BEE initiative and political connections, Ramaphosa insinuated himself into the business world and became an instant billionaire. His corrupt regime has destroyed the South African economy and is destined to lose the next elections. For the first time in its history, the ANC could not garner majority in parliament during the last elections and was forced to form a coalition government.

Ramaphosa is most comfortable when hanging out with autocrats such Vladimir Putin, Nicholas Maduro of Venezuela, Chi Jing ping of China, Iran’s Ayatollah and Hamas leaders. To deflect attention from his own corruption and problems facing South Africa, he gladly accepted to play the role of useful idiot on behalf of Hamas terrorists. Under instructions of China, Iran and Qatar, his regime took Israel, Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant to the ICJ and ICC kangaroo courts on false accusations of genocide. For that assignment, all debts by his government are believed to have been paid by China, Iran and Qatar. He was also handsomely remunerated. Who keeps 12 million US dollars as grocery petty cash in the house?

It’s a tragic betrayal that ANC leadership is maliciously accusing Israel of genocide and apartheid especially bearing in mind that the strongest anti apartheid voices and support came from the Jewish community in South Africa. Helen Suzman, a Jewish member of the then only whites only parliament in South Africa was a distinguished anti apartheid activist who ferociously advocated for equality and abolition of segregation laws. She frequently visited political prisoners including Nelson Mandela in Robben island. Yet this legacy doesn’t matter to the current ANC leadership…I now agree that 80% of problems in the world is caused by money; the remaining 20% is also caused by money.

Though the racist attacks in South Africa do not meet the genocide threshold as of now, it looks like one, the government should take stern action to reduce violence and punish racial incitement. President Trump has made Ramaphosa taste a pinch of his own salt for his persecution of the Jewish state and it’s leaders on behalf of terrorists. And it doesn’t stop there. There’s likelihood of targeted American sanctions against Ramaphosa and his accomplices.