EDITORIAL | Trump meeting: Ramaphosa’s success or Malema’s KO?

Upon his return from Washington, President Cyril Ramaphosa has waxed lyrical about the visit that aimed to ease tension between South Africa and the US, describing it as a “successful working visit”. His official feedback is it was a mission that “reaffirmed the importance of keeping the channels of dialogue open”.

“The willingness of the US to engage with South Africa on resetting our relationship is testament to the strength of the bilateral relationship,” he said.

But this positive message was quickly overshadowed when it hit a political landmine in the form of EFF leader Julius Malema. At the core, the meeting was about trade, investment and diplomacy, but was instead centred on a sound bite.

President Donald Trump played a video clip of Malema chanting controversial struggle song Kill the Boer, something that not only served as an awkward moment, but was the actual moment. The public part of their encounter was reframed. Instead of talks about the motor vehicle industry, investments and a way forward for the two nations, the only thunder that rolled in the Oval Office was Trump's question: “Why isn’t this man arrested?”

It was the type of confrontation and discomfort Ramaphosa should have anticipated and nipped in the bud. Instead, according to Malema, the president failed to defend the nation against this narrative, that he was unable to invoke the most basic legal context about the song: that the courts, even the Constitutional Court, have ruled the song was not hate speech. Malema was addressing his supporters in the Free State when he alleged that Ramaphosa had lacked the courage to stand up for the country’s liberation heritage in the US.

And therein lies the crux of the contradiction: the man who was in the hot seat returned home painting a positive picture of the trip in strokes of economic co-operation, mutual benefit and signs of diplomatic relations about to resume and flourish. But domestically, the takeaway was the president cowered under pressure and folded on critical issues such as national identity, historical memory and the independence of the country’s jurisprudence. What was meant to be diplomatic talk ended up looking like a dressing-down.

There is no denying the meeting eased tensions and achieved important diplomatic points as the US is back in the bag as a key trade partner, and investments were pledged. But it also exposed the underbelly in Ramaphosa — he cannot firmly handle uncomfortable conversations. Though maturity and calm are commendable, when one is dealing with a bully, they must be sent packing because it might be viewed as weakness, even if it gets the job done.

Diplomacy is not just about achieving profit margins, it’s also about principle and the image of a nation on the global stage.

The visit was not just a clash of narratives, but a test of Ramaphosa’s leadership style and strength.

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