President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday congratulated former US President Donald Trump on his re-election as the President, saying South Africa looked forward to continuing the partnership between both countries.

Trump defeated the US Vice-President Kamala Harris chalking up more than the 270 Electoral College votes required.

“I look forward to continuing the close and mutually beneficial partnership between our two nations across all domains of our cooperation. In the global arena, we look forward to our Presidency of the G20 in 2025, where we will work closely with the US who will succeed us in the G20 Presidency in 2026,” said Ramaphosa.

ActionSA president Herman Mashaba said it was important that South Africa maintained and grew its relations with the US, no matter the President and differences on international relations.

He said South Africa should also play its part in other areas of international cooperation to build a better world with the US and other partners.

Mashaba pointed out that there were more than 600 US companies in South Africa and noted that bilateral trade between the two countries exceeded $20-billion a year.

“As the US’s biggest trading partner in Africa, South Africa also benefits from the African Growth and Opportunity Act from which we would not want to be excluded,” he stated.

Mashaba highlighted that most of the world had been watching this US election with great interest because of the historic role and impact of the US on global affairs.

“US Presidents still get referred to as the most powerful president in the world. It makes sense for us, in South Africa, to be interested in the outcome of any American election. This is primarily because of the important economic relations we have with the US,” he said.

“One thing Donald Trump must avoid. Dictators in Africa who do not win elections but instead abuse their people and destroy their economies,” said Build One South Africa president Mmusi Maimane.