‘US WON’T INVADE SA’ - Ramaphosa plays down fears of Trump attack

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has played down fears that United States President Donald Trump might invade South Africa.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said that he is not worried about a supposed invasion. 

This comes after the US carried out a military operation in Venezuela, in which they bombed the capital, Caracas and 'captured' its leader and his wife, Nicolas Maduro.

It follows an assault on Islamic State terrorists on Nigeria soil on Christmas Day and Trump officials insisting that they won’t rule out military action to annex Greenland from Denmark.

But Ramaphosa says: “I’m not worried about an invasion of South Africa. Not at all. I think we are way far from anything like that.”

Ramaphosa went on to say that it must be noted that the US is an important country in the world. 

“We have always believed that any differences with whichever country including the US needs to be discussed. We need to sit down and find solutions. 

“We follow the Madiba doctrine - a doctrine of discussions, of engagements, negotiations and collaboration."

Tensions between Mzansi and the US have heating up over Trump’s unfounded claims of a white genocide in SA and his administration offering white Afrikaners refugee status. 

And SA’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) joined the United Nations in  condemning the US action in Venezuela.

Dirco spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said: “South Africa views these actions as a manifest violation of the Charter of the United Nations, which mandates that all Member States refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.”

Trump, though, remains as unpredictable as ever,, after shocking world leaders with a sweeping exit from collective global action

On Thursday, the White House announced that the US was withdrawing from a foundational climate treaty.

A total of 66 global organisations and treaties - roughly half affiliated with the United Nations - were listed in a White House memorandum as "contrary to the interests of the United States."

Most notable among them is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the parent treaty underpinning all major international climate agreements.

Other prominent bodies named in the memo include the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women, and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).