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DA Defends US Visit Amid Criticism Over South Africa’s Foreign Policy
The Democratic Alliance (DA) recently embarked on a week-long trip to the United States to address ongoing diplomatic tensions between South Africa and the US, particularly with the Donald Trump administration.
In response to criticism from Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, DA spokesperson Emma Powell has clarified the party’s stance, emphasizing their commitment to South Africa’s national interests.
While Lamola had suggested that the DA’s visit undermined the country’s foreign policy, Powell explained that the DA, as part of the Government of National Unity (GNU), does not seek to align South Africa’s policy with that of any other nation. She clarified, “Our objective is to act in our nation’s interest. We aimed to engage key US policymakers to understand their views on stabilizing relations with South Africa.”
Powell outlined the DA’s foreign policy principles, which include constitutionalism, human rights, solidarity, and peace-building, reaffirming that the party had no intention of aligning South Africa’s policy agenda with the US or any other country.
This visit follows the controversy surrounding Trump’s decision to withhold aid to South Africa, which was partly based on misinformation regarding the Expropriation Act. Lamola criticized the DA for not representing the national interest, stating that foreign policy decisions rest with the executive branch of government, not opposition parties.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, echoed this sentiment, asserting that foreign policy is the responsibility of the executive, represented by the President and the Foreign Minister, not parliamentarians or opposition parties.
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