 "South Africa tests Trumpism with truth and dare")
South Africa has been walking on a tightrope as it deals with US President Donald Trump’s sweeping diplomatic measures. Earlier this month, Washington signed an executive order cutting all financial aid to South Africa, accusing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government of pinning the blame of genocide in Gaza on Israel instead of Hamas at the International Court of Justice.
Now, the African nation has announced that it could turn to Russia or Iran to expand its civilian nuclear power capacity, which experts think could widen the rift with the US.
South Africa has been grappling with a severe energy crisis since 2007, primarily due to the state-owned utility Eskom’s inability to meet the nation’s electricity demands. This shortfall has led to frequent rolling blackouts which have significantly impacted the country’s economy and daily life.
In 2022, load shedding averaged eight hours per day, resulting in an estimated GDP reduction of 2-3 per cent. Businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, have faced increased operational costs due to the need for backup power solutions, leading to higher prices for consumers and potential job losses.
The truth
As its relations with the US have stepped into tricky waters, South Africa has announced that it will send an emergency delegation to Washington to keep the communication lines open with the Trump administration.
The swift diplomatic efforts are part of a larger initiative to strengthen ties with the Trump administration. Just last week, four US congressmen in Washington advocated for South Africa’s removal from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
The dare
South Africa, which operates Africa’s only nuclear power plant, Koeberg, plans to add 2,500 megawatts of new capacity to tackle electricity outages that have plagued the economy and to reduce emissions and it plans to do so by reaching out to Russia and Iran.
“We can’t have a contract that says Iran or Russia must not bid, we can’t have that condition,” Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe, one of the government’s leading proponents of expanding nuclear capacity, said.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“If they are the best in terms of the offer on the table, we’ll take any (country),” he told Reuters.
With inputs from agencies
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