Cape Town - Premier Alan Winde and his administration’s efforts to secure the renewal of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) with South Africa were front and centre during the Province’s controversial visit to the US last week.
The premier’s visit there coincided with a letter to President Joe Biden’s government from four senior Democrat and Republican US congressmen and senators, who called for South Africa to be punished for what they said was the country’s support for Russia in the war with Ukraine.
Among the signatories to the letter was the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and related programmes chairperson Senator Christopher Coons (Democrat).
Winde and his delegation did not meet with Senator Coons, but officials from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, including representatives from Coons’ office and some of his advisers.
At this meeting, the Province delegation was told that Agoa comes with stringent responsibilities which beneficiary nations must strive to uphold.
The delegation also heard that Coons has an affinity for South Africa, but he was disappointed at recent developments involving the national government regarding the Ukrainian invasion.
Premier Winde noted the concerns and said: “We will make every effort to protect our country’s re-authorisation to Agoa by demonstrating our commitment to all eligibility criteria.”
The US visit by Winde and his delegation stirred controversy with ANC leader in the legislature Cameron Dugmore, who said the trip was a waste of time and resources.
Dugmore said provincial governments had no constitutional powers regarding international relations as South Africa was a unitary state and the Agoa matter was being managed by Ramaphosa and US President Joe Biden.
Commenting on the controversy, political and economic analyst Daniel Silke said the issue had to be seen in the context of the potential threat to South Africa’s Agoa status and the negative consequences, particularly for exports from the Western Cape.
Silke said: “I would argue that this really is more of a reaction to state foreign policy, and therefore the necessity falls on a more proactive premier like Winde to attempt to lobby in the US for South Africa to keep its Agoa status.”
He said on one side of the equation Dirco and the ANC would be upset that the Western Cape premier was encroaching on their territory.
“But the other side of the equation, of course, is that if South Africa’s foreign policy was now going to threaten the economic livelihood of critical businesses in the Western Cape, then it’s absolutely the responsibility of a premier like Winde to attempt to mend fences and to lobby accordingly.”
As Winde and his delegation left for the US visit, the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) said there had been no discussions between South Africa and the US about moving the Agoa meeting to a third country.
Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel said South Africa was engaged in discussions with the US on the extension of Agoa beyond its expiry date of 2025 and to retain South Africa’s status as an Agoa-eligible country.