FF Plus says ‘no more delays’ as US tightens pressure on South Africa

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the policy, saying the restrictions target South African officials accused of race‑based discrimination and uncompensated land seizures. Rubio said such actions would not “go unchecked” and warned restrictions could extend to family members.

U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Leo Brent Bozell III said the new measures are only the beginning and showed “America’s firm resolve in this matter.”

FF Plus reaction: “No more delays”

FF Plus leader Dr Corné Mulder said the announcement made it “abundantly clear that there are no more delays in addressing the US’ conditions.” He criticised a response from the presidency that, in his view, showed contempt: he cited the president’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya as saying there is “no rush” to respond because there is “no deadline.”

Mulder said the party had repeatedly warned of consequences and pointed to earlier diplomatic tensions, including the suspension of US PEPFAR health funding in June and a March incident when International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola summoned the US ambassador over what Lamola called “undiplomatic remarks” after Washington criticised Pretoria’s failure to act.

The five conditions outlined by the US

According to Mulder, the United States has set out five conditions for improved relations:

• Farm attacks must be classified as a priority crime.
• The chant “Kill the Boer” should be unequivocally condemned.
• No land expropriation without fair market compensation.
• US enterprises should be exempted from BEE requirements.
• Clear demonstration of South Africa’s claimed non‑alignment in foreign policy.

Responses from Pretoria and analysts

The ANC‑led government has denied allegations of systemic discrimination against white citizens. President Ramaphosa has said there is “no evidence of persecution against white people” and warned that such claims threaten national unity.

International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola defended domestic policy as part of South Africa’s corrective legislation, saying it is “our sovereign right to put in place laws that address centuries of racial injustice.” He added that legislation in the democratic era is designed to redress exclusion and uplift historically disadvantaged communities and said the announcement aligned with “the mischaracterisation of South Africa’s domestic policies by fringe groups who wrongly portray themselves as representatives of ‘minorities’ and Afrikaners in general.”

North West University political analyst Andre Duvenhage told The Citizen the visa restrictions should not surprise anyone and that “stronger action was expected.” He said the move was “probably the lowest point in relations between the US and South Africa since 1994” and attributed the restriction to Pretoria’s failure to respond to US concerns. Duvenhage also said Roelf Meyer was not able to turn this process around.

Civil society responses

Civil society groups reacted differently: AfriForum welcomed the restrictions, saying they target politicians accused of human rights violations, while Afrikaners for South Africa (AfSA) cautioned against stigmatising communities and said farm violence is part of South Africa’s broader crime crisis affecting all citizens.

Rubio on the wider implications

“These actions directly undermine peace, economic stability and the rule of law, and they are incompatible with the pillars of America’s foreign policy,”

Rubio urged South Africa to act “quickly.”