South Africa Seeks To Reset Us Trade Relations

Pretoria is preparing a bilateral trade agreement as a backstop in case it loses access to a preferential accord, according to the deputy trade minister. And it's shoring up its diplomatic presence in Washington following the expulsion of the country's ambassador this month.

As part of the multi-pronged strategy, a South African business delegation also visited New York this week for talks with some of the 600 US companies who operate in the country on how to prepare for the potential loss of duty-free access.

Ties between the two nations have been battered by a cascade of actions by the US president. Trump's objections include South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and claims of land seizure at the expense of white farmers. South Africa hasn't confiscated any land since the end of apartheid in 1994.

While the rand has been jolted intermittently by Trump's outbursts - most recently on 7 March - the currency has so far weathered the stormy relations, gaining 3.2 against the dollar so far this year.

South Africa must "find a new equilibrium between the tensions that will likely continue to exist over domestic policy that the Trump administration has repeatedly criticised, and the business relationships and trade ties that would be negatively affected by a complete breakdown", said political analyst Ziyanda Stuurman.