US expels South Africa’s ambassador, calls him ‘race-baiting’ America hater
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called South Africa's ambassador to the US a "race-baiting politician" who hates America.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON - The US has expelled South Africa’s ambassador, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on March 14, calling the envoy a “race-baiting politician” who hates America and President Donald Trump.
Ties between America and South Africa have deteriorated since Mr Trump cut US financial aid to the country, citing disapproval of its land policy and of its genocide case at the International Court of Justice against Washington’s ally Israel.
“South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country,” Mr Rubio said in a post on social media platform X.
“We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered persona non grata.”
Mr Rubio reposted an article from right-wing news website Breitbart that quoted the envoy, Mr Ebrahim Rasool, as saying on March 14 that Mr Trump was leading a white “supremacist” movement.
Mr Rasool had presented his credentials to then President Joe Biden on Jan 13, marking the start of the envoy’s tenure, according to the South African embassy’s website, which said that this was Mr Rasool’s second stint in Washington.
The US’ decision to expel South Africa’s ambassador to Washington was “regrettable”, the South African Office of the President said on March 15, urging “diplomatic decorum” between the two nations.
“The presidency has noted the regrettable expulsion of South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Mr Ebrahim Rasool,” the President’s office said in a statement.
Mr Chrispin Phiri, spokesman for South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, posted on X that the government “will engage through the diplomatic channel”.
Mr Rasool has failed to secure routine meetings with State Department officials and key Republican figures since Mr Trump, a Republican, took office in January, the news website Semafor reported this week.
It cited a South African diplomat as saying Mr Rasool’s pro-Palestinian views and criticism of Israel seem to be the reason for him being shut out.
The State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Mr Trump has said, without citing evidence, that “South Africa is confiscating land” and that “certain classes of people” are being treated “very badly”.
South African-born billionaire and Tesla chief executive Elon Musk, who is close to Mr Trump, has said that white South Africans have been the victims of “racist ownership laws”.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a Bill into law in January aimed at making it easier for the state to expropriate land in the public interest, in some cases without compensating the owner.
He has defended the policy and said the government had not confiscated any land.
The policy was aimed at evening out racial disparities in land ownership in the black-majority nation, he said. REUTERS, AFP
