South African Communist Party (SACP) general secretary Solly Mapaila did not hold back in his scathing criticism of US President Donald Trump, calling him “a monster, terrible, the greatest killer in the world, and a gangster who calls himself president.”

Mapaila made these remarks on Saturday during a picket organised by the SACP outside the United States Consulate in Johannesburg. 

The protest was aimed at urging the US government to lift its sanctions on Iran, end its illegal blockade of Cuba, halt military provocations against Venezuela, and stop arming Israel, whose weapons are used against Palestinians in Gaza.

The SACP expressed solidarity with Venezuela, Syria, Palestine, Iran, Cuba, and other nations, insisting that they have the right to sovereignty, self-determination, and peace without external interference. 

“Their struggles are our struggles, and we shall stand with them until liberation is attained,” Mapaila said.

Mapaila denounced the US’s military presence around Venezuela, claiming that more than 4,000 US Marines and warships, including nuclear-powered vessels, had surrounded the country. 

He called the actions “extremely unacceptable” and condemned the US for its threats against Venezuela’s sovereignty. 

“We want to save the people of Venezuela. We stand with you in this great hour. We believe in your resilience and your capacity to overcome imperialism,” he said.

Mapaila argued that the US government, under Trump’s leadership, had violated international law and was engaged in “criminal” acts. 

“The US political system has been stolen by a criminal, a gangster who calls himself president, who has no respect for the law – not even the laws of his own country,” Mapaila claimed. 

“This is the most despicable form of governance.”

Mapaila also expressed unwavering support for Cuba, which he described as a heroic nation that had contributed significantly to South Africa’s liberation. 

“The Cuban people contributed immensely to our freedom. They defended the independence of Syria, the Algerian revolution, and the liberation of Angola and Namibia,” he said.

He condemned the US’s long-standing economic blockade of Cuba and reiterated the SACP’s solidarity with the Cuban people, who continue to face severe sanctions. 

“We say to the Cuban people, we remain with you, we will always be with you,” Mapaila said.

He also denounced US interference in Latin America, criticising Washington’s attempts to destabilise governments in Nicaragua, Bolivia, and other countries. 

He called on the South African government to intensify trade relations with Cuba and to stand in solidarity with Latin American nations resisting US imperialism. 

“The Bolivian people will continue to resist,” he said. 

“We pledge our entire solidarity with all of Latin America fighting against US aggression.”

Turning to the Middle East, Mapaila condemned the US’s support for Israel, accusing it of waging a “genocidal attack” on Palestinians, especially in Gaza. 

“More than 25,000 children have been killed by the Israeli regime, and they continue to kill innocent civilians, including those seeking food aid,” he said. 

“This apartheid regime, fully supported by the US, knows no human rights.”

Mapaila also criticised US actions in Iran, where the US has targeted nuclear facilities under the pretext of preventing the development of weapons. 

“The US is trying to maintain its monopoly on nuclear weapons while violating international disarmament agreements,” he argued. 

“It wants to be the only nation holding nuclear weapons in the world, and we reject this aggressiveness.”

He also condemned US military activities in the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, claiming that Washington’s deployment of nuclear ships around Russia and China was a destabilising force. 

“The US has become the most destabilising force in the world today,” Mapaila said. 

“That’s why we’re here today – to contribute to the destruction of the US’s intention to be the world’s policeman.”

Mapaila emphasised that every nation has the right to choose its own economic system. 

“If a country, like Venezuela, Cuba, or China, chooses socialism, then that’s their right,” he said. 

“The US has no right to impose its capitalist system on other countries.”

Mapaila also criticised the US’s interference in Lebanon, accusing it of working with Israel to destabilise the country.

He claimed that the US had tried to incite violence in Lebanon and had murdered prominent leaders such as Hezbollah’s General Secretary, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. 

“They want to annihilate Lebanon, just as they are trying to do in Gaza,” Mapaila said.

He argued that Israel, supported by the US, is the primary destabilising force in the Middle East due to its control over vital resources such as oil and gas. 

“The US is addicted to oil, gas, and minerals, and that’s why it’s interfering in the Middle East, he sais.

“Here in South Africa, we must ensure our minerals do not find their way into the US. We should benefit from them here at home, using them to build our economy.”

Mapaila said SACP is committed to standing in solidarity with oppressed people worldwide, rejecting US imperialism, and advocating for self-determination and socialism. 

“We will continue to fight for socialism in Africa and stand with those fighting against US aggression globally,” he said.

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

IOL Politics

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