A top diplomat in the former Trump Administration has praised the outgoing US Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety for calling out what he referred to as South Africa’s foreign policy hypocrisy. Brigety, who accused the South African government of secretly loading weapons onto a Russian vessel in Simon’s Town, near Cape Town has handed in his resignation saying it was in accordance with standard procedure during a change of presidential administration. 

Tibor Nagy, a former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs during the Trump Administration, took to X (formerly Twitter) to give his support to Brigety.

Nagy’s comments and his connection to the Trump Administration suggest a possible direction for US policy toward Africa and South Africa under a future Trump administration. During a briefing today at the Carnegie Peace Institute in Washington, Nagy said he expects the Trump administration “not to pull any punches,” with African interactions being transactional.

AGOA was designed as a US foreign policy carrot tool

Commenting on how a future Trump administration might continue to support agencies in Africa and manage the ongoing participation of countries in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Nagy stated that under a potential second Trump administration, Africa will see support for initiatives that serve the interests of the United States. 

“If there is an agency that is an anathema to the interests of the United States, such as a Human Rights commission that includes North Korea or Iran, I think the US will withdraw support,” he noted. 

Regarding the reauthorisation of the AGOA preferential trade agreement, Nagy emphasised that the initial AGOA act was not intended as a trade deal, but rather as a foreign policy tool of the United States to “use as a carrot for those countries leverage whose policies aligned with US interests. “The economic benefits,” he said, “were a byproduct of that strategy.”

“It’s been used in the past,” he continued, referring to the time when the United States removed Ethiopia from AGOA. He mentioned that he was not part of the administration that made this decision and was against it, as it put an awful lot of Ethiopian women out of work. 

 “It was a way to send a message that the administration was very unhappy with Ethiopia.” 

Distrust lingers between  South Africa and the United States 

Ambassador Brigety sparked a diplomatic storm in South Africa when he said, he could bet his own life that a Russian vessel, the Lady R that docked in South Africa in December 2022 had loaded weapons on to the ship. A US official in South Africa indicated that the American government believed that munitions and rocket propellant that Russia could use in the Ukraine war may have been loaded onto the Russian tanker.  

South Africa’s currency, the Rand, plummeted to record lows, wiping billions off South African bonds due to fears of US sanctions. The South African government reacted with fury, with a cabinet minister accusing Brigety of ‘megaphone diplomacy,’ and stating that South Africa couldn’t be “bullied by the US.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered an investigation led by retired Judge Phineas Mojapelo, which concluded that “Lady R had not loaded a South African shipment of weapons or ammunition intended for Russia when it docked at the naval base.” The report stated the ship was loaded with food and other supplies.

Ambassador Brigety was asked to apologise, which he did, stating he spoke to the former Foreign Minister, Naledi Pandor, to “correct any misimpression left by my public remarks” and re-affirmed the strong partnership between the two countries. However, he did not publicly retract his statements. Observers suggest his apology was more for his bluntness, revealing frustration over South Africa’s shifting stance from its professed “non-aligned” position on Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Trump may appoint an even more hostile US ambassador to Pretoria 

Despite the controversy, Brigety said in his resignation statement that he made strides in US-South Africa relations, citing increased economic cooperation and investment through AGOA, which supported 267,000 jobs in South Africa. 

“Through AGOA, we have fostered investment in sectors such as automotive manufacturing, agriculture, minerals, and transportation. Our outreach to South Africa’s youth has engaged over 210,000 young people through various programmes, from leadership and entrepreneurship to technology readiness. Our advisory efforts have helped bright young South Africans receive R42 million in scholarships,” he said.

Several political parties welcomed Brigety’s resignation with Economic Freedom Fighters criticising his tenure as characterised by typical paternalistic US behaviour rooted in imperialist attitudes. Although the ANC did not issue an official statement, Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula expressed approval of Brigety’s departure on social media.

Defence analyst, Kobus Marais, who is the former shadow minister of Defence for the Democratic Alliance said “Brigety’s criticism of the South African government’s foreign policy and doubtful international interest was justified.  He said his “reliable sources confirmed Brigety’s exposure of what was “most probably an irregular and illegal visit to the Simon’s town naval base.” Marais wished Brigety a prosperous future and said “I hope the Trump ambassador will be as brave and fearless.” 

Max du Preez, the founder of the South African newspaper Vrye Weekblad, told NSN that Mbalula and the ANC should perhaps not rejoice that Brigety has been removed. He said they may soon face a more hostile US ambassador to South Africa’s foreign policy when the incoming Trump administration appoints a new one.