ANC leader on AGOA: White supremacy must end, and they refuse to put white people ahead of the nation and the people of the world

ANC Deputy Secretary-General, Nomvula Mokonyane, slammed Freedom Front Plus leader Corne Mulder, saying that white supremacy must end.

Mokonyane shared these views in a TimesLive interview following Mulder’s comments after an announcement that South Africa had lost its AGOA benefits.

This week, the United States decided to remove South Africa from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on 1 January 2027.

This will end South Africa’s duty-free access to the United States market for key industries, which will hurt the agriculture and car manufacturing industries.

Mulder released a press statement, saying it was caused by the South African government’s alienation of the United States and its embrace of its enemies.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola, must shoulder the blame for this,” Mulder said.

“Their refusal to comply with the United States’ reasonable requirements for normalising relations has brought about this disaster.”

He said that ordinary South Africans will now pay the price for the destructive actions of the ANC leaders.

“The consequences are enormous and extensive. It will result in substantial job losses, which the country cannot afford,” he said.

“The general economy, and particularly sectors such as agriculture and the vehicle manufacturing industry, will be dealt a severe blow.”

According to various industry analysts, this jeopardises between 125,000 jobs directly and more than 500,000 jobs indirectly.

Mulder said that the ANC has repeatedly shown that it cannot be trusted with anything and has seen everything it touches collapse.

“The ANC destroyed basic service delivery, such as water and electricity, and the country’s economic future in the international sphere,” he said.

ANC leader Nomvula Mokonyane responds to Corne Mulder

ANC Deputy Secretary-General, Nomvula Mokonyane, slammed Mulder’s remarks, saying that he is ungrateful for being part of the Government of National Unity (GNU).

She told TimesLive that Mulder’s statements were not surprising and that he was a beneficiary of a tolerant government.

“We brought him into the Government of National Unity to ensure stability in our country,” Mokonyane said.

“The audacity to blame Comrade Ronald is unjustified. South Africa’s AGOA status has nothing to do with him.”

She said that Mulder entered the GNU knowing what was outlined in the statement of intent, and he understands where foreign policy authority lies.

She added that the United States of America is a critical global player, but the world does not revolve around it.

“While the White House is an important institution in world politics, the United Nations is meant to be the true body of authority and global concern,” she said.

“This situation reflects the persistent issues of white supremacy and male arrogance, where some believe that everything must happen based on bowing down to the United States.”

She added that the ANC remains open to engaging with the United States and that it is not anti-American.

“However, we refuse to strike deals with America at the expense of our own development,” she said.

“We refuse to place white interests above our nation and the peoples of the world. This culture of white supremacy must end. The domination of one group over another must stop.”

She said that Mulder’s comments are thoroughly irritating, especially since he now serves as a minister.

“He serves in a government established and sustained by our own international solidarity and foreign policy. Yet today, he tries to place the blame on us,” she said.

“The real blame lies with those who refuse to budge on critical issues such as economic growth, inclusive development, land reform, and property rights.”