“Let the Chips Fall”: Mabuyakhulu Says South Africa Won’t Bow to US Sanctions Over Palestine Stance

ANC leader says SA is prepared for global fallout as Washington sharpens its tone

As US lawmakers ramp up efforts to punish South Africa for its stance on Palestine and land reform, ANC veteran Mike Mabuyakhulu is making it clear: we’re not afraid.

Speaking at a solidarity event in Durban on Monday night, organized to welcome a visiting Palestinian delegation including Fatah Secretary General Jibril Rajoub Mabuyakhulu stood firm.

“We knew what was coming when we took Israel to the International Court of Justice,” he said. “Yes, we will suffer the consequences, but we are prepared. This is a just cause.”

That “cause” is South Africa’s decision to accuse Israel of genocide at the ICJ, a move that has strained relations with the United States and its allies. Now, the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs has passed a bill aimed at reassessing America’s relationship with South Africa, potentially paving the way for sanctions.

Trump’s Tariff Threat and Land Reform Misfire

Among the grievances listed in the US bill are South Africa’s handling of the Israel-Gaza war and its controversial land expropriation policy. In typical fashion, former President Donald Trump has weighed in, interpreting the land reform bill as an assault on white-owned Afrikaner farms.

That’s despite the bill itself containing no clause allowing seizure without due process, let alone one targeting any racial group.

Still, under Trump’s increasingly aggressive trade posture, South Africa could face a 30% tariff on exports to the US, sparing only a few key mineral exports like platinum and chrome. For a developing economy already facing high unemployment, that kind of blow could sting.

Yet ANC leaders seem undeterred.

“We Will Stand Tall”: The ANC’s Moral Standpoint

“We do not fear because we stand for the right cause,” Mabuyakhulu insisted. Quoting Nelson Mandela, he added: “Your enemies cannot be our enemies. We shall stand with Palestine at all times, through thick and thin.”

This tone marks a shift from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s more measured response. While Ramaphosa has expressed hope that the standoff won’t escalate, Mabuyakhulu’s speech reflects an older, more militant strain in ANC thinking—one that recalls South Africa’s own struggle against apartheid.

Social Media and Public Reaction

On social media, Mabuyakhulu’s remarks struck a chord. Many South Africans, especially youth and pro-Palestinian activists, applauded the defiant tone. “Finally someone is speaking truth to power,” one user posted on X (formerly Twitter). Others worried about the economic fallout. “We’re going to get crushed by US sanctions and tariffs. Is it worth it?”

This public debate mirrors what’s happening globally. With international polarization deepening over the Israel-Palestine issue, South Africa has cast its lot on the side of the Global South and international law, even if it means losing Western favour.

Will Sanctions Happen? Experts Weigh In

Despite the fiery rhetoric from Washington, most analysts say the US sanctions bill is far from becoming law. It still needs to pass a full vote in the House of Representatives and political watchers are unsure if it will get the support it needs.

But the warning signs are there. The Biden administration, while more restrained than Trump, has expressed unease with Pretoria’s foreign policy drift.

If the bill does pass, South Africa could lose key trade benefits under agreements like the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which gives it duty-free access to US markets.

A Defining Foreign Policy Moment

South Africa’s government insists it is prepared to pay the price for standing on principle. That principle is opposition to what it describes as Israeli apartheid and occupation.

And in Mabuyakhulu’s words, this moment is not just political, it’s historical.

“We stand tall as a nation proud of its own freedoms,” he said. “What we do now will be remembered, just as we remember those who stood with us.”

For better or worse, South Africa is drawing its own red line. And the world is watching.

{Source: IOL}

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