UNITED States President Donald Trump is punishing South Africa with tariffs because of its transformation policies.
This is according to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.
He told a media briefing on the outcomes of the party's national executive committee (NEC) on Wednesday, 6 August, that Trump is trying to force the ANC to abandon its policies.
"If they want to bring sanctions on us, let them bring them but South Africa, all its citizens know that it's a democratic country, it's a liberated country and that we are still transforming. In order to achieve equity and we will still pursue redress," said Mbalula.
He said Trump deliberately ignored facts put before him that South Africa was not persecuting white Afrikaners, as he believed.
Mbalula emphasised that ANC leaders will not beg imperialists to subvert Mzansi democracy and its sovereignty.
"This economy is still white male-dominated, and they want to tell us to abandon policies that seek to advance transformation," he said.
He criticised the DA for allegedly spreading lies about Mzansi.
The party, which is a member of the Government of National Unity (GNU) recently visited the US with the aim to establish "diplomatic relations between South Africa and the United States during this period of heightened tensions".
Mbalula said the DA is anti-transformation and hates affirmative action.
ALSO READ | Lesufi suspends top officialsOpens in new window
"This right-wing fringe in the country that goes to America and lies about our country, we have said to them that go and settle there if you want," he said.
Mbalula said if the DA did not want to promote policies that seek to redress imbalances of the past, it was free to leave the GNU.
He said the ANC is talking to more political parties to join the GNU.
The ANC convened its ordinary NEC meeting from 1 to 4 August.
Among issues the highest decision-making body between conferences discussed was the alliance partner, the South African Communist Party (SACP), deciding to contest the forthcoming local government elections on its own.
"As a revolutionary movement, we recognise the SACP's right as an independent organisation to chart its own electoral path. However, as a movement that has shared trenches with the SACP in the struggle for freedom, we have communicated our profound disagreement with this decision," he said.
Mbalula said it's the ANC's view that the move carries far-reaching implications for the strategy and programme of the National Democratic Revolution.
