President Cyril Ramaphosa says US President Donald Trump has disdain for protocol, so much so that Pretoria has now decided to confront Washington head-on, with highly placed sources saying Ramaphosa had grown tired of trying to reason with a bully.
In a move that is likely to collapse the tariff and trade negotiations and further strain diplomatic relations between South Africa and the US, the Sunday Times can reveal that Ramaphosas administration has given up on trying to fix its relationship with the Trump administration and has decided to stand up to the bully, regardless of the repercussions to follow.
Senior government officials at the Union Buildings are adamant that whatever punishment is meted out to South Africa, it would be short-lived pain, and that it would be worth it to stamp SAs authority in the geopolitical arena.
