Mantashe suggests going tit-for-tat with Trump
Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has suggested a tit-for-tat response to US President Donald Trump’s threats to cut funding to South Africa after claiming land is being confiscated from certain groups.
Gwede made the suggestion during his address at the Africa Mining Indaba in Cape Town on Monday.
"If they don't give us money, let’s not give them minerals. But the reality is they take our minerals and withdraw funding. We have minerals in the continent, and we have something, and we are not beggars."
President Cyril Ramaphosa has since refuted Trump's claims, saying the recently signed Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that US tariffs on Canada will be paused for 30 days. This came after a call with President Trump during which Trudeau pledged stronger border measures to stop the crossings of migrants and illicit drugs.
"I just had a good call with President Trump," Trudeau said on X.
READ: Trump accuses S.Africa of 'confiscating' land, cuts funding
"Proposed tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days while we work together," he said.
He said Canada would implement a Can$1.3 billion (US$900 million) plan to secure the border.
This will see the number of "frontline personnel" fixed at 10,000. Just last December, Canadian authorities said they had 8,500 deployed.
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