In a bold and unapologetic address at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town, South Africa’s Mineral Resources and Petroleum Minister, Gwede Mantashe, dismissed fears over U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to cut financial aid to the country. Speaking to a room full of global delegates at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, Mantashe made it clear that Africa’s vast mineral wealth places it in a position of power, not dependency.
“We cannot be held ransom by Trump’s threats,” Mantashe declared, referring to concerns over South Africa’s Expropriation Act and the potential financial repercussions from the U.S. administration. The veteran politician, who also serves as the African National Congress’ chairperson, emphasized that Africa’s resource-rich nations have leverage of their own.
“If they don’t give us money, let us not give them minerals,” Mantashe told the captivated audience. “They take our minerals, but say we are withholding funding. No. We have minerals in the continent and therefore we have something that we have. We are not just beggars.”
His message resonated with the broader theme of the conference: the empowerment of African nations through the strategic use of their natural resources. “We must use that endowment for our benefit as a continent,” Mantashe continued. “But if, as a continent, we are frightened, we fear everything, we are going to collapse—and we will collapse with minerals at our doorstep.”
Mantashe reminded attendees that Africa is the world’s richest mining jurisdiction, a fact that should translate into economic strength and global influence. “We cannot be the poorest continent while being the richest mining destination,” he asserted. “We are in possession of 90 percent of the world’s chromium. We produce a lot of chrome in South Africa.” His impassioned speech highlighted the disconnect between the continent’s natural wealth and its economic standing, urging African leaders to harness these resources more effectively.
Mantashe’s comments came in the wake of inflammatory statements from President Trump, who, during a Fox News interview, suggested that the U.S. might cut aid specifically to South Africa due to alleged land confiscations and human rights abuses. “Terrible things are happening in South Africa, the leadership is doing some terrible things, horrible things … so that’s under investigation right now,” Trump claimed. He further fueled controversy on his Truth Social app, accusing South Africa of “confiscating land” and “treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.”
Trump’s post concluded with a definitive threat: “I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!”
Despite the dramatic rhetoric from Washington, the South African Presidency and officials like Mantashe appear unfazed. The minister’s defiant stance at the Mining Indaba suggests that South Africa, and Africa more broadly, is prepared to push back against external pressures, leveraging its natural resources as a bargaining chip on the global stage.
Representing President Cyril Ramaphosa at the high-level conference, Mantashe’s speech was not just a rebuttal to Trump’s threats but a rallying cry for African nations to recognize and wield their economic power. “Africa is not a pawn in global politics,” Mantashe seemed to suggest. “We hold the cards.”
The implications of this showdown between the U.S. and South Africa are yet to unfold, but one thing is certain: Africa’s leaders are increasingly unwilling to let external forces dictate the continent’s destiny. And with its treasure trove of minerals, Africa may have more leverage than ever before.
