WATCH | ‘We will work closely with the US’: Ramaphosa after Trump threatens Brics countries

President Cyril Ramaphosa plans to use his G20 presidency to facilitate talks and form stronger bilateral ties with the US after American president-elect Donald Trump threatened Brics+ countries.

Trump on Saturday took jabs at the Brics bloc, saying initiatives to move away from trading in the dollar would sour relations with the US.

South Africa, Russia and China are part of the Brics bloc.

“The idea that the Brics countries are trying to move away from the dollar while we stand by and watch is over. We require a commitment from these countries that they will neither create a new Brics currency, nor back any other currency to replace the mighty US dollar, or they will face 100% tariffs and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful US economy. They can go find another ‘sucker’. There is no chance that the Brics will replace the US dollar in international trade, and any country that tries should wave goodbye to America,” Trump said on X. 

Department of international relations and co-operation spokesperson Clayson Monyela said Trump’s remarks reflected a lack of understanding of the Brics trade talks.

“Incorrect reporting led to this false narrative running wild. Brics is not planning to create a new currency. The discussion centres about trading among Brics members using own currencies,” he said.

Speaking to the media during an ANC by-election campaign in Thabazimbi, Limpopo, on Sunday, Ramaphosa said South Africa would facilitate diplomatic talks with Trump rather than engage in social media clashes over bilateral matters. 

Ramaphosa took over the presidency of the G20, an intergovernmental forum, on Sunday. The G20 is made up of 19 countries including China, France, Germany, UK and Russia. The US is part of the G20 and assumes its presidency in 2026 after South Africa.

Ramaphosa said the G20 will see both the US and South Africa working closely together. 

“We are going to work closely with the US and President Donald Trump. We will have moments when we are going to sit down around the table and discuss all these matters. Some of these matters are said on these platforms. We prefer that we sit down and rely on diplomacy and have proper discussions on each issue that affects each nation. We are looking forward to having such discussions with President Trump. He will obviously say from time to time this is the type of tariff he will impose on this country and that country. We hear all of that, but in the end we also have a message to put across, we will put it [on] the table where we can discuss things properly in the usual South African style,” Ramaphosa said. 

Trump's return as US president has put a focus on US-South Africa relations.

Trump is a strong supporter of Israel and had promised if elected to ensure stronger ties between the Jewish state and America.

As the war against Hamas in Gaza continues, questions have arisen about Trump's stance on South Africa as the country has forged ahead in its fight to have Israel charged with genocide. 

Last year, South Africa applied to the International Court of Justice for it to order a suspension of Israel's military operations in Gaza. The court granted some but not all of South Africa's requests. 

TimesLIVE