By Nellie Peyton
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa heads to the White House on Wednesday on a perilous mission to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to make deals with his country rather than scold and punish it as he has done since the start of his second term.
Attacking South Africa’s land reform law aimed at redressing the injustices of apartheid and its genocide court case against Israel, Trump has cancelled aid to the country, expelled its ambassador and offered refuge to white minority Afrikaners based on racial discrimination claims Pretoria says are unfounded.
“The visit will focus specifically on reframing bilateral, economic and commercial relations,” Ramaphosa’s office said ahead of his meeting with Trump.
The stakes are high for South Africa. The United States is its second-biggest trading partner after China, and the aid cut has already resulted in a drop in testing for HIV patients, with pregnant women, youth and infants the worst-affected.
“Whether we like it or not, we are joined at the hip
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