Ramaphosa sees chance to reset strained US ties after Democrats' midterm election rout

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the US midterm election results could help ease strained relations between Pretoria and Washington.

President Cyril Ramaphosa believes the Democrats' decisive victory over Republicans in the US midterm elections could usher in a “new era in world relations” and help ease strained ties between Pretoria and Washington.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated over several policy disputes, culminating in Washington's decision this week to exclude South Africa from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade agreement that gives eligible sub-Saharan African countries preferential access to the US market.

“I do think that this group is going to introduce a new era in world relations,” Ramaphosa told reporters when asked about the Democratic result.

“We're hoping that on a bilateral basis, there will be a coming together of minds where we will find a proper path forward on geopolitics as well as on trade matters and investment matters,” he said after casting his ballot in Wednesday's local government elections.

The US decision to exclude South Africa and Rwanda from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is due to take effect on January 1. There are concerns that the move could cost the local economy thousands of jobs.

South Africa is the programme's biggest beneficiary.

The two countries have clashed over race, trade and diplomacy. Washington has cut aid, imposed tariffs, expelled South Africa's ambassador and boycotted the G20 summit in Johannesburg.

Last year, US President Donald Trump berated Ramaphosa in the Oval Office over discredited claims of a “white genocide”.

The US is South Africa's largest trading partner in Africa, with more than 500 American businesses operating locally and around 30,000 US citizens living in the country.