Concerns over SA's foreign policy reflected in key Bill

The US House of Representatives has passed legislation that would require the Biden administration to conduct a full review of America’s relationship with SA. The Daily Maverick reports that the legislation – triggered by opposition to Pretoria’s relations with Russia, China and Iran – would also oblige the administration to report to Congress on whether SA ‘has engaged in activities that undermine US national security or foreign policy interests’. The administration would also have to provide Congress with an overview of US Defence cooperation with SA, including military exercises, arms sales and international military education and training, as well as report on SA’s Defence co-operation with Iran, China and Russia. These measures were submitted by Republican representative John James as amendments to the huge annual National Defence Authorisation Act. They were passed by a vote of 272 for and 144 against. Most of the votes in favour (211) were by Republicans but 63 Democrats also voted for James’s amendments.

DM notes that the amendments were the operative clauses of a separate, dedicated Bill – the US SA Bilateral Relations Review Act – which James introduced into the House of Representatives in March. James told the House when the amendments were being debated in June that they ‘would simply require the Biden administration to make a determination on whether SA’s actions are undermining the US’. ‘The current uncertainty in SA following last month’s elections makes the determinations required by this amendment all the more timely,’ he said. James added that trade had grown from $13.9bn in 2015 to $21bn in 2021, making SA America’s largest trade partner in Africa. More than 600 US businesses are invested in SA. ‘However, it’s clear to me that the ANC of today is no longer the party of Mandela,’ he said. ‘The ANC continuously moves away from its traditional stance of non-alignment in international affairs,’ James said.

Full Daily Maverick report