‘We Will Not Be Bullied’: Thousands March in Joburg as ANC Rejects US Demands

Public frustration with the United States’ involvement in South Africa’s internal affairs is mountingand over the weekend, thousands took to the streets of Johannesburg to make their voices heard.

The March

The well-attended demonstration, from Newtown to Constitution Hill in Braamfontein, carried political significance beyond its immediate message.

Protesters held placards declaring:

• “We will not be bullied”

• “In defence of our sovereignty and democratic gains”

Their message echoed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s warnings that America should not bully South Africa.

The ANC’s Resurgence

The march also signaled a resurgence of grassroots support for the ANC ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

The US Demands

US Ambassador to South Africa, Leo Brent Bozell III, recently expressed disappointment over Pretoria’s failure to address what he called the “five asks”:

• Abolish broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE)

• Take action on farm attacks

• Address the handling of the Kill the Boer song

• Land expropriation policy

• A deal on critical minerals

• Issues related to digital transformation

Bozell indicated Washington is losing patience with South Africa’s inaction.

The ANC has refused to alter its transformation policies. ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane criticised the US envoy for “undiplomatic statements.”

The ICJ Dispute

Ramaphosa has criticised President Donald Trump for attacks on SA’s foreign policy and transformation initiatives. Trump has accused the government of enabling “white genocide,” citing farm killingsa claim rejected by the SA government, civil society, and international observers.

Ramaphosa acknowledged farm attacks as crime, but not genocide.

On 13 March, the US formally filed a declaratory intervention at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding SA’s genocide allegations against Israel, labelling the allegations as false.

The US argued that Israel does not possess the “specific intent” necessary to establish genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention, and that civilian casualties in urban warfare do not automatically signify genocidal intent.

The Memorandum

The People’s March presented a memorandum to Minister of Justice Mmamoloko Kubayi.

The Bottom Line

The message from Johannesburg was clear: South Africa will not be dictated to.

The US has made its demands. The ANC has rejected them. And thousands of South Africans have taken to the streets to say: we will not be bullied.

{Source: Citizen}

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