Roelf Meyer says South Africa must move fast to fix strained ties with the United States

South Africa’s ambassador to the United States, Roelf Meyer, says the country needs to move quickly to repair its strained relationship with Washington as political and economic tension continues. According to Newsroom ZA’s reporting, Meyer made the remarks during the launch of his political memoir at the Cape Town Press Club on Monday, where he framed the state of the bilateral relationship as one of his main responsibilities in the post.

Meyer described the United States as an important partner for South Africa, mainly because of the size of the American economy and the long relationship between the two countries. In practical terms, that means the diplomatic fallout is not just a matter for foreign policy officials. It can affect how South Africa positions itself with one of the world’s biggest economic players.

Newsroom ZA reports that relations have come under growing pressure in recent months. The Citizen said the strain increased after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa restrictions aimed at foreign nationals accused of involvement in race-based discrimination and uncompensated land seizures in South Africa. The reporting also notes that US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised South Africa since returning to the White House, including by making claims about the treatment of white Afrikaners in the country.

Meyer said the relationship was strained and that both sides needed to find a way forward. His view, as reported by Newsroom ZA, was that the issues should be handled through engagement rather than through a blame game. That is an important distinction, because it places the emphasis on reopening lines of communication instead of deepening the political argument.

He also pushed the discussion beyond diplomacy alone. Meyer said the relationship has consequences for South Africa’s economy, investment and employment. He pointed out that more than 600 American companies operate in South Africa, and that they contribute to investment and job creation. His point was straightforward: when relations sour with the US, the effects can spill into the economy and the labour market at home.

That is why Meyer linked foreign relations directly to job creation. He said South Africa’s task is to create jobs, and that improving ties with the US should be part of that goal. He also said the country should work on both its political and trade relationship with Washington, showing that the two are connected rather than separate tracks.

During the same event, Meyer reflected on South Africa’s democratic transition. He said one of its successes was keeping the political middle ground together while staying focused on the country’s future. He also highlighted the Constitution as the base of South Africa’s democratic system, saying its supremacy remains one of the country’s most important achievements. Those comments placed his call for better US relations inside a wider message about stability, institutions and long-term national direction.

Taken together, Meyer’s remarks suggest that Pretoria sees the current period as more than a passing diplomatic wobble. The message is that South Africa cannot afford to let a major relationship drift when it has direct implications for trade, investment and employment. In that sense, the issue is both political and practical.