Cape Town – Businessman Patrice Motsepe is reported to have played a behind-the-scenes role in improving South Africa’s diplomatic relations with the United States ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to Washington DC.
Though tensions arose during a meeting with then-President Donald Trump, the visit was deemed successful.
According to The Citizen, Prior to the US trip, Motsepe joined Special Envoy Mcebisi Jonas and G20 Sherpa Zane Dangor in Qatar, where they sought support from the Qatari government to influence US perceptions positively, given Trump’s favorable ties with Qatar.
The Presidency confirmed Jonas was involved in pre-visit diplomatic consultations.
BREAKING: President Trump brings a TV into the Oval Office in front of the South African President and shows him a video of his own government calling for the genocide of white farmers.
Savage.
“Turn the lights down. Turn the lights down and just put this on.”
Cyril Ramaphosa… pic.twitter.com/wDRk76cC1x
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 21, 2025
Motsepe’s involvement was viewed as strategic due to his high-level social connections, including proximity to circles around Trump.
“It is not the first time that he had been roped in to assist and smooth things over. He went with the president when he had his state visit to the UAE,” a source told the Sunday Times.
“The aim was for him to do the groundwork, just like Mcebisi. It’s important that when we have that meeting, the people in the room are not hostile to our proposals,” the source said.
There is also growing speculation that Motsepe might transition into political leadership, with some in the ANC viewing him as a unifying figure who could restore the party’s strength.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
