U.S. President Donald Trump has followed through on his promise to punish South Africa by signing an executive order stopping all aid and assistance to the country over what he called a human rights violation against a white minority group.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday that his country "will not be bullied," days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would cut off funding to South Africa over a land reform act.

However, tensions between Pretoria and Washington have been simmering for some time, with diplomatic tensions escalating since the Ukraine and Russia war, while there were also tensions further fuelled by Pretoria taking Israel to the International Criminal Court for the genocidal bombardment of Gaza by the US ally,