H.R. 2633: U.S.-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025

The U.S.-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025 aims to assess and potentially restructure the relationship between the United States and South Africa. The bill highlights various findings regarding South Africa’s political actions and foreign policy, particularly its interactions with groups and nations considered adversarial by the U.S., such as Hamas, China, and Russia.

Key Provisions

• Presidential Certification: The President, along with the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense, must certify within 30 days whether South Africa has engaged in activities that undermine U.S. national security.
• Comprehensive Review: A thorough review of U.S.-South Africa relations will be conducted, with a report on findings due 120 days after the bill is enacted.
• Sanctionable Individuals: The President, in consultation with relevant officials, will prepare a classified report identifying South African government officials and African National Congress (ANC) leaders who may face sanctions due to corruption or human rights abuses.

Context and Background

The bill identifies several issues as reasons for concern regarding the South African government and ANC's conduct, including:

• Consistent support for Hamas and negative sentiments towards Israel, particularly after recent violent incidents.
• Close ties with Russia, including military cooperation and allowing sanctioned Russian ships to dock.
• Active engagement with China, which the bill claims undermines South Africa’s democratic governance and national security due to the CCP's human rights violations.
• Domestic mismanagement of South African resources leading to crises like power shortages and public health issues.

Objectives of the Bill

The overall goal of the bill is to ensure that U.S. interests are safeguarded by reassessing the current bilateral relationship with South Africa. It aims to identify and potentially sanction individuals whose actions contradict the values and interests of the United States, while also emphasizing the importance of U.S. strategic interests in the region.

Legislative Process

The bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives and referred to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and the Judiciary for further consideration.

Relevant Companies

• NKE - Nike, Inc.: May face supply chain challenges due to escalating geopolitical tensions affecting trade and operations in South Africa.
• BA - The Boeing Company: Potential impacts on defense contracts and partnerships with South African entities.
• IBM - International Business Machines Corporation: Engagements in technology agreements and infrastructure projects in South Africa could be affected by sanctions.