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community weblog
South African government's response to Rubio's Substack post
Secretary Rubio, the world is watching. It is growing weary of double standards. It is tired of lectures on democracy from those who seem to have forgotten that democracy, at its best, must listen as much as it speaks.
Rubio's OP, as published by the US Embassy to the South African government.
International relations and cooperation minister Ronald Lamola has delivered a stern rebuke to US secretary of state Marco Rubio, telling him South Africa does not seek validation from his country.
South Africa to be replaced by Poland for next year's invite only G20 at Donnie's non-profit gofl farm
"For now, we will take a commercial break until we resume normal programming," the South African president's spokesman said.
The USA boycotted the G20 this year because Africa.
posted by infini on Dec 04, 2025 at 2:45 PM
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Just to note that regardless what Trump thinks, the US doesn't decide by itself who is in the G20 - like the G7, members can only be booted/replaced/added through consensus among all the leaders.
posted by senor biggles at 3:54 PM
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So the ostensible reason for this is Ramaphosa's assent to the 2024 Expropriation Act which is intended to create compensatory redistribution to offset expropriations which occurred under the Apartheid era 1975 Expropriation Act.
This act establishes a four-factor test for circumstance where expropriation may happen without compensation: (a) where the land is being held for market value rather than active usage (b) where a government is not using the land and had acquired it for no consideration; (c) where it is judged that the owner has abandoned the land; (d) where the market value is less or equivalent to the present value of direct state investment.
Obviously, there's room for some judicial abuse. But at the same time, this is really the Musk family and other white oligarchs and ex-oligarchs complaining that they can no longer engage in land banking.
So yeah, racism.
At the same time, I'm sure that PR China is quite happy to expand their soft power over the continent. Good way to keep dominance over strategic minerals.
posted by LeRoienJaune at 6:16 PM
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I think im just gonna keep posting on all this shit the same comment. A bunch of petulant toddler boys-will-be-boys small ego men that no one ever said 'no' too.
Trying to wrap this horseshit in the vague eduated pedagogical language attempted here just makes it so so so much worse. Like eating a turd with a pearl spoon and expensive champagne. Sure, nice but still eating turds
posted by chasles at 6:55 PM
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That was a nice statement! They went high when the others remained at their habitual level.
posted by SnowRottie at 7:38 PM
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Halfway through the statement, there is line about how the South African agricultural sector would not be as important as it is now had South Africa seized farms for redistribution. At first I fancied that line might be a way of distinguishing South Africa from Zimbabwe. Farm productivity in Zimbabwe collapsed when the government seized white-owned farms (not because only whites can farm, but because authoritarian governments are uniformly incompetent). But this is unlikely because South Africa recognizes a debt of gratitude towards Zimbabwe for support during the struggle against apartheid. Then I thought maybe the line was a sideswipe against domestic opponents. Firebrand opposition politicians like Julius Malema want immediate and thorough land redistribution. Maybe this diplomatic note was an opportunity to score domestic political points.
Instead, South Africa was refuting a vile lie calculated to sow distrust, hatred and violence. Is that a form of emotional labour?
posted by SnowRottie at 6:43 AM
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What are the chances that the other 18 of G20 will turn up to be hosted by Rubio/Trump?
And what the heck happened to Rubio? Was he really as bad as he is now before he bent the knee to the orange gibbon?
posted by anadem at 3:48 PM
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Make all farmers pay 50% of their profits to the African National Congress Party that will lead to an economy as strong as Zimbabwe.
posted by Narrative_Historian at 12:47 AM
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And what the heck happened to Rubio? Was he really as bad as he is now before he bent the knee to the orange gibbon?
As with other Trumpists, my firm belief is that they were indeed always that bad, they just hadn't had an opportunity to show us yet.
Whatever else they might have done right in their careers, or might ever do in the future, it's just a broken clock showing the correct time by luck.
posted by Kadin2048 at 10:05 AM
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