US crisis as BRICS gains ground and China’s influence grows in Africa

By Thobile Jiwulane
The US-China information and communication technology ‘cold war’ will intensify under Donald Trump. However, the president may be cautious about imposing tech sanctions against other countries, fearing that China could exploit the situation.
Beijing's technological advancements have kept Washington on high alert for quite some time. It’s a challenge that US President, Donald Trump knows would be difficult to overcome, just as the trade war has proven to be a significant struggle for him. Without a doubt, China’s rapid growth in technological innovation concerns Trump more than it has any other U.S. president in history. His decision to ban Huawei and other technologies from entering the U.S. market to protect local products was a part of this strategy.
Despite his recent sanctions against South Africa, Trump plans to introduce 5G technology in the country he seeks to punish for different reasons. Experts view this move as a way to counter China’s expanding technological influence in Africa, with South Africa becoming a battleground for these two major powers.
Dominic Maphaka, an expert in international relations and a lecturer at North-West University in South Africa, interprets Donald Trump's recent actions as a direct response to China’s growing influence in Africa. Maphaka states, “Beyond investment, the recent development manifests a sign of a panic by the US and SA is seen as a suitable remedy. As a diversified and big economy in Africa, South Africa could help the US deepen its grip on the African continent through Pretoria’s companies that are penetrating the continent.
He adds, “The latter should be understood in the context that China is investing in technology in many African countries. Thus, the US could lose the African market to China if it acts as a by-stander and let the Asian giant provide the much-needed technological investment on the continent. As part of ‘Putting America First’, Donald Trump seeks to avoid the historical mistake that America and its Western allies have made in the extractive sector.”
Both technology and political experts had previously warned Washington about its targeting China, which was advancing rapidly in technological innovation. They noted that one consequence of U.S. sanctions could be to push China to enhance its own technological innovation.
As predicted, the tech sanctions that Trump implemented during his first term in office motivated China to seek investments in other markets worldwide while continuing to develop new technologies in high demand globally.
South Africa, one of the countries targeted by Trump for post-election sanctions, is poised to benefit from the ongoing technological rivalry between China and the United States. While the US imposed a boycott on Pretoria, it is unlikely to allow China to fill the void in the region.
The Trump administration plans to continue with Joe Biden’s initiative to roll out 5G technology in South Africa, specifically in the KwaZulu-Natal province on the east coast, which has been identified for the project.
Recently, the business community and other stakeholders in South Africa were invited to attend seminars in Cape Town and Durban, organised by the US Mission to South Africa in partnership with the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA). These seminars aimed to provide insights into 5G investments and the potential opportunities they present.
Trump is imposing sanctions on South Africa in response to its decision to bring Israel to the International Court of Justice over accusations of genocide committed by the Israeli Armed Forces in Gaza. Additionally, South Africa has sought to hold Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable at the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
However, a more contentious reason for the sanctions stems from the unfounded claim that Pretoria is committing genocide against white farmers and seizing land from white Afrikaners under a new expropriation law recently signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa. South Africa views this law as an internal matter that aligns with practices in many countries when they need land for public use. The expropriation process is not blanket; any land taken for public purposes is guaranteed compensation, similar to practices under the former apartheid government. In dispute cases, the entire process is overseen by a court of law.
Trump’s claim that the African National Congress was seizing land from the white Afrikaner population has been proven false, and this assertion has been rejected by everyone, including the opposition. Ironically, Afrikaners are the most privileged group in the country, owning 72% of the land, while black Africans, who make up 80% of the population, own only 4%.
Experts in both South Africa and the US believe that the US is too late to compete with China in Africa regarding technology investments. They argue that Africa is already deeply integrated with China’s technology, and the situation has reached a point of no return. The One China Policy that Pretoria follows further compels the South African government to choose China as a partner than the US.
According to Maphaka, the opportunity for Africa has arrived as China has provided what the continent has long sought, which the West has failed to deliver. “For Africa and South Africa, in particular, China’s technological advancement serves as an alternative. However, the move will pose a threat to the US grip in Africa. Hence, the US is acting swiftly to deepen its grip in that space to avoid the competition that is posed by China in other areas on the African continent. A reluctance from the US and its western allies to bring the much-needed investment has opened a space for China to deepen itself in Africa,” Maphaka said.
He stressed: “Despite the US being a host to many technological giant companies, China is making in-roads in that space. The Asian giant is set to challenge the US, which is a home to Google, Apple, and Intel. China has managed to thrive despite US tariffs by creating alternatives and thus reducing reliance on Washington.”
But Trump is not someone who gives up easily, even when advised by knowledgeable sources. With China actively engaging with African countries and re-asserting itself as a leading technology partner by sharing its expertise, Trump is likely to continue pushing forward to accomplish what appears to be an impossible mission.
However, the increasing membership of BRICS, with many African nations eager to join the bloc, suggests that Trump's tech war against China - similar to the trade war - is likely to be a lost cause for America. South Africa’s commitment to China’s One Policy is unwavering, and Trump needs to do more than issue unfounded threats of sanctions to pry Pretoria away from Beijing.

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