# Renowned businessman Johann Rupert says golfer Ernie Els was the person who, over the past month, talked US president Donald Trump into agreeing to a meeting with president Cyril Ramaphosa. Rupert and Els will reportedly join Ramaphosa’s delegation when he meets Trump in the White House today. News24 reports that in an interview, Rupert said this meeting is a buildup that started in 2023, when a group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers proposed legislation to review the US relationship with South Africa, as punishment for its ties with Russia.
Johann Rupert says Ernie Els convinced Trump to meet with Ramaphosa