By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday advanced the legislation that seeks the comprehensive review of the bilateral relations with South Africa.
The bill known as US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025 (H.R.2633), calls for a comprehensive review of the relationship between the two countries.It also seeks to identify South African government officials and ANC leaders eligible for sanctions.
This bill was introduced into Congress on April 3, 2025, by Republican Representative Ronny Jackson, marking the first stage of the legislative process toward becoming law.
It was then passed on to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and the Judiciary for debate.
The Bill will now go to the full House of Representatives for a vote before the Senate will consider it.
According to Jackson, the foreign affairs committee has now cleared the bill, crossing the first hurdle to becoming law.
“Today, my bill to fully review America’s relationship with South Africa and give President Trump the tools necessary to hold their corrupt government accountable passed through committee,” he said.
“The days of allowing our so-called ‘allies’ to walk all over us are over. South Africa made its choice when it abandoned America and our allies and sided with communists and terrorists.”
Jackson has repeatedly called for South Africa to face consequences for its “ties with China, Russia, Iran, and Hamas”, saying the bill supports President Donald Trump’s foreign policy.
During the committee meeting, pro-members enthusiastically supported the bill, saying it was an overdue response to South Africa’s “troubling shifts” in foreign policy.
Members raised issues with South Africa’s leanings towards “authoritarian regimes” in Russia and China, and repeatedly aligning with anti-American stances.
Further concerns were raised about the ANC government’s direct engagements with Hamas leadership.
As expected, South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice was also flagged.Proponents of the bill described it as a “pro-accountability” move, rather than an anti-South African one.
Opponents of the bill were more reserved, arguing that differences between the United States and South Africa should be resolved through diplomatic channels, not punitive legislation.
They criticised the bill as being heavy-handed and duplicating processes that were already underway to address the United States’ concerns with South Africa—such as the annual AGOA review.
The committee ultimately passed the bill with 34 members in favour and 16 against.
Meanwhile lobby group AfriForum welcomed the introduction of targeted sanctions against South African politicians by the US.
AfriForum head of public relations Ernst van Zyl said the Bill was a welcome development for South African interests.
“This development comes amid a deepening diplomatic crisis between the US and South African governments. Last week it was reported that the US government has denied Mcebisi Jonas, South Africa’s special envoy to the US, a diplomatic visa and rejected his credentials,” he said.
He claimed that years of “reckless and extremist” diplomatic actions and rhetoric by the ANC were “now bearing bitter fruit”.
Meanwhile, Solidarity called on President Cyril Ramaphosa and other parties in the Government of National Unity to urgently reaffirm the country’s non-aligned status and commit South Africa to a strong relationship with the US, based on mutual respect and cooperation.
“It is necessary for the South African government to go beyond just a recommitment to non-alignment and for the country to specifically agree to cooperation with the US in certain areas. This includes cooperation in the fight against terrorism in Africa, military and intelligence cooperation and cooperation on the ground,” said Solidarity head of public relations Jaco Kleynhans.
He said it was necessary for Ramaphosa to urgently appoint a new ambassador to Washington.
“It is our belief that it is impossible to resolve the current political crisis between the two countries without a strong South African ambassador to the US. Jackson’s Bill calls for a comprehensive process whereby the relationship between our two countries must be reviewed. Without an ambassador, such a process will lead to disastrous consequences for South Africa,” Kleynhans stated.