South Africa's Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, debunked the so-called "debt trap" of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as claimed by Western countries. "There is no issue of a 'debt trap' in South Africa, and we are looking forward to partners who will not dictate to us how we must build the Africa we want, but partners who understand cooperation," said the minister. She added that China has been a friend to both South Africa and the African continent.