By Betha Madhomu
Cape Town — US Congressman Ronny Jackson introduced the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025 on Thursday, calling for a full reassessment of the diplomatic relationship between the two nations.
The legislation, co-led by Representative John James, would provide President Donald Trump with new tools to impose sanctions on South African government officials accused of corruption and aligning with adversarial nations such as China, Russia, and Iran.
In a statement, Jackson accused South Africa of deliberately shifting its foreign policy away from Washington, stating that such actions require consequences.
“South Africa has brazenly abandoned its relationship with the United States to align with China, Russia, Iran, and terrorist organizations, a betrayal that demands serious consequences,” Jackson.
“This legislation ensures we conduct a comprehensive review of this supposed ‘ally’ while also holding accountable any corrupt officials. The era of governments undermining American interests without repercussions ends now.”
“Today, Congressman Ronny Jackson (TX-13) introduced the U.S.-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025, which would mandate a full review of the bilateral relationship between the United States and South Africa”https://t.co/BXZydE0UG1
— Chris Hattingh 🇿🇦🌐🚢🏭📈 (@ChrisHatt11) April 3, 2025
Meawhile, James emphasised that the bill builds upon previous legislative efforts, particularly his bipartisan H.R. 7256, which passed the US House during the last Congress. He linked the proposed legislation to Trump’s executive order from February 7, which sought to penalise South Africa for what the administration described as “egregious actions”.
The South African government and the ANC have continued to consistently undermine U.S. national security interests and in recent years have intentionally aligned with Beijing, Moscow and Tehran and pursued an anti-Israel agenda, James said.
“The United States must examine all of our bilateral relationships around the world and investigate all options to hold those countries and leaders who align with our adversaries responsible.”
The bill signals growing tensions between Washington and Pretoria over foreign policy alignments.
South Africa has previously defended its relationships with China and Russia, citing historical ties and economic cooperation. It has also rejected allegations of supporting terrorist organisations.
The legislation, if passed, would direct US agencies to conduct a thorough review of South Africa’s economic, security, and diplomatic ties with the United States and its adversaries.
The findings could serve as a basis for future policy decisions, including potential sanctions on South African officials.
The South African government has yet to formally respond to the bill’s introduction.
