Issues took a tense flip when South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the Parliament saying he felt “abused” by the opposition’s criticism solely to be met with pushback about his Oval Workplace assembly with President Donald Trump.
In a video circulating on social media, Ramaphosa took to the ground to deal with his issues and emotions of abuse after members pushed criticism on sure points. With out hesitation, one member of the Nationwide Meeting of South Africa, Sinawo Thambo, took the time to name the President out for his lack of expressing the identical sentiments throughout his headlining go to to Trump in late-Could 2025. “You didn’t really feel like that when Donald Trump was abusing you within the White Home,” Thambo mentioned whereas the deputy speaker tried to name for order.
“Why didn’t you handle the abuse within the White Home however you’re abused by your individual colleagues in South Africa?”
Thambo didn’t again down from his disdain from his chief, highlighting that he ought to have used the identical power whereas sitting with American dignitaries simply days prior. “You have been abused with this info within the White Home and also you accuse us of abuse?” the politician continued whereas shaking his head.
“No, no…”
The tense trade comes after Ramaphosa visited Washington, D.C. to satisfy with Trump over his allegations of “white genocide.” South African critics have been hoping for drama, nevertheless, Ramaphosa stored his cool whereas Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and former DOGE director and South African native Elon Musk accused the nation’s management of concentrating on white farmers and residents, which resulted in refugees being welcomed with open arms to the US.
Following the assembly, the President apologized to South African reporters who had traveled to Washington, D.C. in hopes of witnessing what he even thought could be a “Zelensky 2.0” kind of assembly however obtained the alternative. One reporter claimed to be glad with the dramatics, whereas one other mentioned Ramaphosa deserved a drink.
Ramaphosa himself was in the end making ready for the worst after the world witnessed what some would name abuse from Trump to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the place Trump and Vance attacked him over the struggle in February 2025. “I do know that many South Africans have been full of concern and concern that we’ll have a ‘Z’ second,” Ramaphosa mentioned throughout a press briefing.
On U.S. soil, Trump plans to proceed his scheme of bringing in white South African refugees. In line with The Impartial, a brand new report from the State Division reveals the Trump administration plans to settle “hundreds” from the African nation. A division official confirmed it has obtained near 50,000 inquiries from South Africans eager about making the U.S. their new dwelling. Officers venture the numbers to surge “in the direction of the second half of summer season.”