Cyril Ramaphosa heads to Washington to meet with Donald Trump

702's Bongani Bingwa is joined by Dr Terence McNamee, former Deputy Director at The Brenthurst Foundation. 

Listen below:

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faces a high-stakes visit to Washington this week.

He will meet US President Donald Trump at the White House, presumably aiming to salvage strained relations.

Tensions between the two countries have deepened in the last few months.

MacNamee says South Africa and Ramaphosa are at a distinct disadvantage going into the meeting.

ALSO READ: Afrikaner asylum in the US: We shouldn’t call them ‘refugees’ - Max du Preez

"Unlike for Carney and Macron and Starmer, there was no obvious ill will towards those men or their countries... but in the case of South Africa, there is - primarily over the ICJ case."

- Dr Terence McNamee

"I think it's a safe bet that it's going to be a tougher morning for Ramaphosa."

- Dr Terence McNamee

ALSO READ: SONA 2025: 'We will not be bullied' vows Ramaphosa, in apparent swipe at Trump

The United States is a major foreign investor in South Africa and a key export market, particularly for the Western Cape. 

Until Trump's recent halt, it was also the largest donor of foreign aid to South Africa.

McNamee says if things don't go well, the US president could 'have a word in the ear' of investors.

"If things go pear-shaped, he could put pressure on them to try to divest from South Africa."

- Dr Terence McNamee

Meanwhile, just days ahead of Ramaphosa’s meeting with Trump, the Washington Post reports that the US has blocked its agencies from working on the G20.

South Africa will host this year's G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November.

"Clearly, its absence means that whatever joint statements are produced at the G20, whatever broad, collective commitments are made, they're gonna have a lot less heft without US participation."

- Dr Terence McNamee

Scroll up to listen to the full interview.