On the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration as President of the United States, South Africa Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said he was hopeful the US leader would have a “positive disposition” towards Africa and South Africa.

“He is going to be inaugurated tomorrow and clearly he is going to be the leader of the American people, and we look forward to him as President of the United States, having a positive disposition towards Africa and South Africa,” Ramaphosa said on Thursday.

Speaking to the African News Agency (ANA) on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Ramaphosa added that the hope was that “we should have policies that will prosper the people of the United States, as they prosper the people of Africa”.

He said: “Anything that will help the prosperity of all our people should be supported.”

Trump is due to be sworn in as the 45th President of the US on Friday, a little more than two months after he recorded a shock victory over favourite Hillary Clinton.