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| South Africa will defend sovereignty, ANC chair says amid US tensions | South Africa will defend sovereignty, ANC chair says amid US tensions |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Gwede Mantashe is critical of South Africans who wish to "punish" the country | Gwede Mantashe is critical of South Africans who wish to "punish" the country |
| A senior figure from South Africa's ruling ANC party has defended his country's sovereignty amid growing tensions with the US over race relations and a new land law. | A senior figure from South Africa's ruling ANC party has defended his country's sovereignty amid growing tensions with the US over race relations and a new land law. |
| "We are a free country, we're a sovereign country. We're not a province of the United States and that sovereignty will be defended," ANC National Chair Gwede Mantashe said on Sunday. | "We are a free country, we're a sovereign country. We're not a province of the United States and that sovereignty will be defended," ANC National Chair Gwede Mantashe said on Sunday. |
| US President Donald Trump has hit out at South Africa's new expropriation law, signing an executive order in February stating it was a means to which the government could "seize ethnic minority Afrikaners' agricultural property without compensation". | US President Donald Trump has hit out at South Africa's new expropriation law, signing an executive order in February stating it was a means to which the government could "seize ethnic minority Afrikaners' agricultural property without compensation". |
| President Cyril Ramaphosa says the law ensures "public access to land in an equitable and just manner". | President Cyril Ramaphosa says the law ensures "public access to land in an equitable and just manner". |
| Almost 70,000 South Africans interested in US asylum | Almost 70,000 South Africans interested in US asylum |
| Envoy at the heart of the latest US-South Africa row | Envoy at the heart of the latest US-South Africa row |
| What's really driving Trump's fury with South Africa? | What's really driving Trump's fury with South Africa? |
| The expropriation law does allow the government to seize land without compensation, but only in certain circumstances. | The expropriation law does allow the government to seize land without compensation, but only in certain circumstances. |
| Trump's February order also opened the door for Afrikaaners to be admitted to the US as refugees, describing them as "victims of unjust racial discrimination". | Trump's February order also opened the door for Afrikaaners to be admitted to the US as refugees, describing them as "victims of unjust racial discrimination". |
| But standing in for Ramaphosa in a speech at South Africa's Freedom Day celebration in the eastern province of Mpumalanga, Mantashe criticised South African citizens who have called on Trump to "punish" the country. | |
| "Now they are told to go there and be refugees, they are refusing. They must go," he said. | "Now they are told to go there and be refugees, they are refusing. They must go," he said. |
| Tensions have also played out publicly on Elon Musk's X page, where he has described his country's ownership laws as "racist". | Tensions have also played out publicly on Elon Musk's X page, where he has described his country's ownership laws as "racist". |
| Currently white South Africans, who are a minority of the population, own most of the country's private land and wealth, despite the racist system of apartheid ending decades ago. | Currently white South Africans, who are a minority of the population, own most of the country's private land and wealth, despite the racist system of apartheid ending decades ago. |
| In an effort to quell tensions which have rumbled on for months, South Africa appointed a special envoy to Washington earlier this month. | In an effort to quell tensions which have rumbled on for months, South Africa appointed a special envoy to Washington earlier this month. |
| Mcebisi Jonas will be tasked with advancing the country's "diplomatic, trade and bilateral priorities," Ramaphosa said. | Mcebisi Jonas will be tasked with advancing the country's "diplomatic, trade and bilateral priorities," Ramaphosa said. |
| The move comes after Washington expelled South Africa's ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, after he accused Trump of "dog whistle" politics. | The move comes after Washington expelled South Africa's ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, after he accused Trump of "dog whistle" politics. |
| Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. | Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. |
| Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica | Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica |