READER LETTER | Strained US relations bad for SA

SA’s foreign policy is not an abstract moral exercise: it has real, measurable consequences for ordinary citizens. The growing strain in relations with the US should concern every South African who cares about jobs, investment, and economic stability. Programmes such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) have provided SA with preferential access to one of the world’s largest markets, supporting tens of thousands of local jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, and automotive exports.

Jeopardising this relationship through the ANC’s reckless diplomatic positioning with Iran risks undermining these livelihoods at a time when unemployment already exceeds 30%. Recent commentary by Helen Zille and analysts like Prince Mashele and Nicholas Nyati has highlighted the economic self-harm embedded in antagonising key trade partners. Even US voices, including ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III, have signalled concern about SA’s policy trajectory.

This is not about abandoning principles; it is about recognising trade-offs. A weakened relationship with the US could mean reduced foreign direct investment, declining export revenue, and ultimately more pressure on an already strained fiscus. The cost will not be borne by policymakers but by workers, small businesses, and vulnerable communities.

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SA cannot afford ideological posturing that sacrifices economic well-being. Pragmatism, not political theatre, must guide our foreign policy. – Daniel Jacobi, executive chairperson at SA Friends of Israel

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