By Johnathan Paoli
The Economic Freedom Fighters has condemned the inclusion of billionaire businessman Johann Rupert in the official South African delegation to the United States.
EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo described Rupert’s inclusion to the meeting with President Donald Trump as “an exhibition of the undue influence of big business” and a blatant undermining of democratic sovereignty and the will of the South African people.
“The inclusion of Johann Rupert in a diplomatic delegation is a spit in the face of our democracy. Trump and President Cyril Ramaphosa have allowed their benefactors and funders to influence and control the relations between South Africa and the United States,” Thambo said in a statement on Wednesday.
Thambo stressed that the EFF would not tolerate what it views as elite capture of the state’s policy direction, vowing to oppose any compromises on national sovereignty, transformation or legislative integrity, whether made in Washington or at home.
The EFF drew parallels between Rupert and Elon Musk, both of whom have been embroiled in recent controversy surrounding their influence over the heads of state of their respective nations.
Thambo said that Musk and Rupert were two sides of the same coin, labeling them as “racist to the core” and opposed to transformation and equity “because it threatens their ill-gotten wealth”.
Ramaphosa is in the United States this week to repair bilateral ties amid tensions over trade, land reform, South Africa’s stance on Israel and regulatory frameworks.
Reports indicate that the agenda includes discussions with business leaders and policy influencers, among them Rupert, who reportedly joined the delegation at the last minute.
The EFF, however, sees the move as an attempt to placate foreign interests, particularly in light of domestic and international scrutiny over transformative legislation such as the National Health Insurance Act, the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act, and the Expropriation Act on land.
According to the party, Rupert’s presence is an effort to reassure Trump that land reform in South Africa, particularly expropriation without compensation, is not being implemented.
“Rupert is leading this charge as a major beneficiary of unequal land and economic relations. He has in the past threatened to disinvest and collapse our economy if his ill-gotten wealth is threatened,” the spokesperson said.
The red berets recently took aim at reports that Ramaphosa is expected to offer regulatory concessions to Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink, to facilitate its entry into the South African market.
The party warned that any commitments made to bypass local ownership laws, especially Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) prescripts, would be illegitimate and subject to legal and parliamentary challenge.
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