By Daanyaal Matthews
The victory of Donald Trump in the American elections has caused a stir in the Republic of South Africa as more theories arise on the possible future between the two nations with a second Trump administration looming.
Dr. Oscar van Heerden, a scholar of international relations who focuses on international political economy with an emphasis on Africa and SADC in particular, argued that for Trump it would be foolish to ‘antagonize’ South Africa in his second term as it would impede upon America’s influence in the nation and the surrounding region:
“Donald Trump will do himself some good by really thinking twice about antagonizing Africa but also South Africa because, at the end of the day, it’s all about influence, and if you antagonize Africa too much, then Africa, who is already looking to the east and already getting cozy with China, will disappear, and people won’t take you seriously if you try to weaponize the dollar.”
Recent rumours and reports on the Department of International Relations and Cooperation have indicated a reappointment of former ambassador to the United States of America (USA), Ebrahim Rasool, which, according to Van Heerden, is a good step towards bettering relations with the Western leader given the former ambassadors knowledge of Washington politics.
“We shouldn’t create the impression that there is antagonism already existing. There are healthy relations between the United States and South Africa. Just recently, in September, when there was the United Nations General Assembly, the President met with Lincoln and others. So there is not an antagonistic thing,” argued Van Heerden.
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Photo: GovernmentZA
