South Africans march for 'sovereignty' after US pressure

## Summary
Advertisement World South Africans march for 'sovereignty' after US pressure The march coincided with South Africa's Human Rights Day, a celebration of anti-apartheid activism Demonstrators protest the opening session of the G20 leaders' summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, Nov 22, 2025. (PHOTO: AP/Themba Hadebe) 22 Mar 2026 02:08AM Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST JOHANNESBURG: Thousands of South Africans marched Saturday (Mar 21) to demand respect for their nation's sovereignty after months of pressure from US President Donald Trump on issues from trade to race relations. Trump has clashed repeatedly with South Africa's government , hitting the country with high tariffs, berating President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office over discredited claims of a "white genocide", and boycotting a G20 summit in Johannesburg last year. March 21 marks Human Rights Day in South Africa - the anniversary of the 1960 Sharpeville massacre where apartheid police opened fire on a crowd of black protesters, killing at least 69 people for demanding an end to white-minority rule - Ramaphosa's party called for marches "in defence of our sovereignty and democratic gains".

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South Africans march for 'sovereignty' after US pressure
The march coincided with South Africa's Human Rights Day, a celebration of anti-apartheid activism
Demonstrators protest the opening session of the G20 leaders' summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, Nov 22, 2025. (PHOTO: AP/Themba Hadebe)
22 Mar 2026 02:08AM
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JOHANNESBURG: Thousands of South Africans marched Saturday (Mar 21) to demand respect for their nation's sovereignty after months of pressure from US President Donald Trump on issues from trade to race relations.
Trump has clashed repeatedly with South Africa's government
, hitting the country with high tariffs, berating President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office over discredited claims of a "white genocide", and boycotting a G20 summit in Johannesburg last year.
March 21 marks Human Rights Day in South Africa - the anniversary of the 1960 Sharpeville massacre where apartheid police opened fire on a crowd of black protesters, killing at least 69 people for demanding an end to white-minority rule - Ramaphosa's party called for marches "in defence of our sovereignty and democratic gains".
The marches come 10 days after South Africa summoned US Ambassador Brent Bozell just a month after his arrival in the country for "undiplomatic remarks".
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"We cannot, therefore, have a white old man, who looks like he's deranged, tell us in our country, what to do in South Africa," African National Congress Secretary General Fikile Mbalula said Saturday.
Named as one of the favourites in the race for the ANC presidency – and thus potentially the country’s leadership – at the December 2027 congress, he was speaking to thousands of supporters gathered near the iconic Hillbrow communications tower.
Crowds dressed in green and yellow – the ANC's colours – flooded the wide avenues lined with skyscrapers in the centre of the country’s economic capital. Another march was organised later that day in Cape Town.
"We want to defend our country," said demonstrator Siyanda Moloi, a 34-year-old construction worker.
"I think they will get the message. You have to respect our president, our laws, our policies."
The US ambassador said it was hate speech for black South Africans to use a controversial apartheid-era chant, "Kill the Boer" - a word for the country's white Afrikaner population.
"I don't care what your courts say, it's hate speech," Bozell had said in some of his first public remarks in South Africa.
The ANC manifesto convening the rallies said "The principle of national sovereignty is under attack from foreign and domestic forces".
Related:
Trump's image of dead 'white farmers' came from Reuters footage in Congo, not South Africa
South Africans exasperated by Trump false claims during Ramaphosa meeting
Trump challenges South Africa's president on White House trip, with white farmer murder claims
"THEY HATE US"
Following in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s footsteps, Ramaphosa was ambushed during a White House press conference when Trump showed him video montages and photos containing a mix of inaccuracies and falsehoods about
alleged attacks on white South Africans
.
The Trump administration has also clashed with Ramaphosa's government over South Africa taking US ally Israel to the International Court of Justice for allegedly committing genocide in its war in Gaza.
Last year, Trump slapped 30 per cent tariffs on most South African exports - the highest for sub-Saharan Africa.
The US Supreme Court recently overruled Trump's tariffs policy.
But South Africa is among 60 countries facing a US trade investigation that could lead to further tariffs.
"They hate us," said demonstrator Noxolo Skomolo, a 53-year-old real-estate agent.
"We are protecting our constitution. We don't want them to bully us. This is our land and our country."
Trump has also criticised South Africa's racial justice policies, enacted to address historic inequalities left by the legacy of colonial rule and apartheid - but condemned by the American leader as discriminatory against whites.
The call to march condemned a "severe attack" on those policies.
"Lies are being told about countries in order to justify punitive economic measures and direct foreign interference in domestic politics," it said, without naming the United States.
Source: AFP/fs
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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
- CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less "We cannot, therefore, have a white old man, who looks like he's deranged, tell us in our country, what to do in South Africa," African National Congress Secretary General Fikile Mbalula said Saturday.

### Implications
- Another march was organised later that day in Cape Town. "We want to defend our country," said demonstrator Siyanda Moloi, a 34-year-old construction worker. "I think they will get the message.
- The US Supreme Court recently overruled Trump's tariffs policy.
- But South Africa is among 60 countries facing a US trade investigation that could lead to further tariffs. "They hate us," said demonstrator Noxolo Skomolo, a 53-year-old real-estate agent. "We are protecting our constitution.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers south, africa, trump topics. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 891.