FACT CHECK: Did South Africa Suspend All American Businesses and Halt Mineral Exports to the United States?

A VIRAL claim circulating on social media alleges that South Africa has suspended all American businesses within its territory and stopped exporting minerals to the United States. The claim further asserts that this decision was taken in retaliation for U.S. President Donald Trump’s alleged decision to cut off all U.S. funding, including USAID, to South Africa.

The claim reads in part: “BREAKING NEWS ‼️ South Africa has officially suspended all American businesses within South African territory and stopped exporting minerals to the United States. ✂ This comes just a few days after Donald Trump cut off all funding from the US to South Africa and the USAID to South Africa The South African government categorically made it clear to Trump that America is nothing without minerals from Africa and if he thinks Africans are nothing but mere beggars, then he should go look for minerals elsewhere because Africa is tired of the blatant disrespect and disregard they keep getting from the Western world ”

The claim can be found here. here. here

The claim has been broadcast across social platforms like Facebook, Thread and X.

To verify this claim, The Explainer conducted a comprehensive fact-checking process, consulting reputable news sources, official government statements, and international reports to assess the accuracy of these allegations.

The Explainer conducted a thorough search across established global news platforms, including Reuters, Associated Press, and Bloomberg.

A  Reuters article from February 17, 2025, titled “South Africa says US has not responded to attempts to discuss Trump aid cut,” discusses South Africa’s efforts to engage with the U.S. following President Trump’s executive order to cut off aid. In this article, South Africa’s foreign minister, Ronald Lamola, mentions that the United States has not responded to attempts to discuss the aid cut. The decision was driven by disapproval of South Africa’s land reform policy and its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Despite efforts through their Washington mission to initiate communication, South Africa has yet to receive any feedback from the U.S. Additionally, South Africa is planning bilateral meetings with countries like China, which has pledged its support. Lamola emphasized that South Africa will continue its attempts to engage with the U.S. and prepare for all possible scenarios.

Another report from February 11, 2025, titled “Trump’s accusations against South Africa spark ‘white privilege’ self-mockery,” discusses President Trump’s criticisms of South Africa’s land reform policies and his decision to cut aid to the country. These actions have elicited mockery on social media from white South Africans, who are using humour to satirize Trump’s statements and their roles in the situation. South Africa’s Foreign Ministry dismissed Trump’s actions as factually inaccurate and ignoring the country’s historical context of apartheid.

These articles provide context on the diplomatic tensions between the United States and South Africa regarding aid and policy disagreements.

Regardless, The Explainer found no credible reports indicating that South Africa had suspended American businesses or halted mineral exports to the U.S. The absence of such significant developments in trusted international media sources raises doubts about the claim’s authenticity. The story appeared predominantly on lesser-known websites like The Maravi Post and Business Highlights, platforms with no established reputation for credible, verifiable news reporting.

The Explainer reviewed official communications from the South African government, including publications from the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). There were no statements indicating any policy changes involving American businesses or mineral exports. Given the economic and diplomatic implications of such actions, any decision of this magnitude would typically involve formal announcements and receive widespread media coverage.

The Explainer examined the broader context of U.S.-South Africa relations, focusing on trade and diplomatic ties. While President Trump signed an executive order to cut U.S. financial assistance to South Africa, citing disapproval of its land policy and its genocide case at the International Court of Justice against Israel, there is no credible evidence supporting the claim of an economic confrontation involving the suspension of American businesses or halting mineral exports.

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In 2023, the United States allocated nearly $440 million in assistance to South Africa. The claim mentions “$25 billion in U.S. profits” from South Africa; however, this figure likely refers to total trade volume, not profits. The U.S. recorded a trade deficit with South Africa during that period.

The Explainer analyzed the language of the viral claim, noting several misspellings (“categorically” instead of “categorically”) and grammatical errors, which are common in misinformation. The tone was overly emotive, using phrases like “Africa is tired of the blatant disrespect” and “No African country has ever stood up against the United States like this,” designed to provoke strong emotional reactions rather than convey factual information. Such inflammatory language is characteristic of disinformation tactics aimed at amplifying outrage and engagement on social media.

In addition, The Explainer found a direct response from an official source. Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for the President of South Africa, publicly addressed the claim on his X (formerly Twitter) account, dismissing it as false. Magwenya wrote, “This is fake news and it’s not true at all.”

Verification

FALSE

Conclusion

The Explainer concludes that the claim that South Africa has suspended all American businesses and stopped mineral exports to the United States is false. While there have been recent developments regarding U.S. aid to South Africa, including President Trump’s executive order to cut financial assistance, there is no credible evidence to support the assertion that South Africa has taken reciprocal actions against American businesses or exports. It’s essential to rely on verified information from reputable sources when evaluating such claims.