US Attempts to ‘Bring South Africa to Its Knees’ Will Backfire, Says Pretoria

JOHANNESBURG—The government of South Africa has thrown down the gauntlet to its United States counterpart, saying American repercussions against it for taking actions contrary to Washington’s policy positions could “amount to self-sabotage.” In an opinion piece published in Britain’s Financial Times newspaper recently, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations, Naledi Pandor, wrote: “Seeking to bring South Africa to its knees almost amounts to self-sabotage for the United States. “We were a key driver in the formulation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement and now of its implementation. “Given that AfCFTA creates the largest single free trade area in the world, with 1.3 billion people and a combined gross domestic product of $3.4 trillion, it would be advantageous for the United States to capitalize on such opportunities, and work with us as a gateway to the continent.”...