US Congressman Ronny Jackson has introduced the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025 (Act). This Act highlights actions allegedly taken by the South African government that have strained relations between the two nations, and would require the President, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Treasury, to submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees on senior South African government officials that meet the criteria for the imposition of sanctions, and an explanation as to why such sanctions are not imposed if that is the Presidentās decision. Section 5 of the Act mandates the President, in collaboration with the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, United States Trade Representative, and relevant agencies to conduct a thorough review of the bilateral relationship between South Africa and the U.S. The President must submit a detailed report to the appropriate congressional committees outlining the findings of the review not later than 120 days after the enactment of the Act.
Currently, the Act is not yet in effect; it needs to go through the legislative process for approval. This includes committee review, debates, voting in both chambers, and finally, presidential action. Even though the Act is not yet in effect, it represents a formal step in reviewing and addressing the relations between the U.S. and South Africa, following actions that suggested strain in relations but lacked clarity on the underlying issues.
