President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas as South Africa’s special envoy to the US.
Jonas, who is currently the chairman of the MTN Group, takes over after US President Donald Trump’s administration fired SA’s ambassador to the US Ebrahim Rasool in March.
“I hereby announce the appointment of Mr Mcebisi Jonas as my special envoy to the United States of America, serving as the official representative of the president and the government of the Republic of South Africa,” Ramaphosa said on Monday.
“In this capacity, Mr Jonas is entrusted with the responsibility to advance South Africa’s diplomatic, trade, and bilateral priorities.
“He will lead negotiations, foster strategic partnerships, and engage with US government officials and private-sector leaders to promote our nation’s interests.”
The president continued: “An eminent South African leader, Mr Jonas served as one of four presidential investment envoys that I appointed in 2018 to facilitate investment into South Africa.
“As a former deputy finance minister of South Africa, Mr Jonas brings extensive governmental experience to his new diplomatic role.
“Concurrently, he holds the position of independent non-executive chairman of the MTN Group, a role he will maintain alongside his responsibilities as my special envoy.”
US and SA relations have deteriorated
He said Jonas’ appointment underscores his distinguished career and continued commitment to advancing South Africa’s national and economic interests.
“For decades, South Africa and the United States of America have maintained a historical and strategic relationship.
“In the interest of our country, our region, and the rest of our continent, I remain committed to rebuilding and maintaining this relationship for more decades on the basis of mutual respect, recognition of each other’s sovereignty, and benefit for our respective peoples,” Ramaphosa said.
Relations between South Africa and the US have deteriorated since Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Bill into law in January, which repeals the pre-democratic Expropriation Act of 1975 and determines how state organs may expropriate land in the public interest for a variety of reasons.
In response, Trump issued an executive order in February to stop funding South Africa, citing his disapproval of the country’s Expropriation Act and its genocide case against America’s ally Israel in the International Court of Justice.
Rasool expelled from the US
The US will also create a plan to resettle Afrikaner farmers and their families as refugees, the White House said.
In March, South Africa’s ambassador to the US, Rasool, was expelled from that country. On March 23, he touched down at the Cape Town International Airport.
Later, in March, former president Thabo Mbeki criticised Rasool during a speech at the University of South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and International Affairs in Pretoria.
Mbeki told his audience that Rasool was not supposed to make negative statements about his host president, Trump.
SA is yet to appoint a new ambassador to the US.
Over a week ago, Trump’s administration announced a 31% tariff hike on goods that South Africa imports from the US.
However, Trump subsequently cancelled the tariff increase order and announced a 90-day halt before implementing it.
