In depth
US Congressman Ronny Jackson has introduced the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025 (Act). This Act aims to impose sanctions on senior South African government officials, based on findings in section 2 of the Bill which highlight actions allegedly taken by the South African government that have strained relations between the two nations. Section 5 of the Act mandates the President, in collaboration with the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, United States Trade Representative, and relevant agencies to conduct a thorough review of the bilateral relationship between South Africa and the U.S and the President must submit a detailed report to the appropriate congressional committees, outlining the findings of the review not later than 120 days after the enactment of the Act.
Currently, the Act is not yet in effect; it needs to go through the legislative process for approval. This includes committee review, debates, voting in both chambers, and finally, presidential action. Even though the Act is not yet in effect, it represents a formal step in reviewing and addressing the relations between the US and South Africa, following actions that suggested strain in the relations but lacked clarity on the underlying issues.
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Ayanda Mavata, Trainee Solicitor, has contributed to this legal update.
