LISTEN | Maimane hopes Ramaphosa will visit US to fix strained relations

Build One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane is hoping President Cyril Ramaphosa will later this year visit the US to mend trade ties between the two countries.

South Africa’s ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, was ordered to leave the country last week following comments Rasool made about US President Donald Trump.

Speaking on SABC News, Maimane said there is a need for a clear and strategic approach to US-South Africa trade relations.

“We need to be clear and deliberate about what our strategy with the US is pertaining to trade and it must be limited to that.”

He highlighted the importance of trade engagements between South African and US trade missions, saying South Africa should not base its approach on the assumption that the US will always be led by Trump.

“Ultimately, I would hope that later on in the year it could culminate with a state visit by President Ramaphosa, which would give us an opportunity to seal a trade deal.”

However, concerns about the feasibility of such a visit have grown after the recent state visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which escalated into a heated exchange with Trump and his deputy JD Vance. The tense confrontation led to Zelensky being asked to leave the White House, raising doubts about whether South Africa should visit the US to clarify matters under the current administration.