Mcebisi Jonas' White House absence shrouded in controversy

THE Presidency now claims Special Envoy to the US Mcebisi Jonas volunteered to skip the crucial meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and his US counterpart Donald Trump at the White House.

This follows presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya’s remarks that the Americans had  raised some "displeasure" about Jonas’s inclusion to visit the Oval Office. There were also reports that he did not hold a valid visa to the US. 

In a statement on Thursday, Magwenya said: "Initial interpretations of procedural matters, communicated in good faith, have been amended following confirmation that Mr. Jonas holds a valid visa for travel to the United States of America.” 

He said Jonas contributed to preparatory engagements before the meeting, including consultations abroad, but his absence from Washington was at his own request.

In 2020, Jonas referred to Trump as "a racist, homophobic and a narcissistic right-winger", which resurfaced after his appointment as Special Envoy to the US. Magwenya indicated that the president may have to consider alternative envoys if the issues surrounding Jonas were not resolved.

Sources close to Ramaphosa and the ANC said that prior to the departure of Ramaphosa’s delegation, there had been disagreements on whether to take Jonas, especially if this would displease Trump.

“The majority of the president's counsel wanted Jonas to go, but others said that he would just be an obstacle for the delegation when they arrived,” a source said.

Complicating matters is the fact that South Africa has yet to appoint an ambassador following the expulsion of Ibrahim Rasool who was declared "persona non grata" by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has begun the process of finding a replacement for Rasool.

Several names have been touted as potential candidates to replace Rasool, including former Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel.

Other names include Afrikaans political figures like former defense minister Roelf Meyer, former tourism minister Marthinus Van Schalkwyk, deputy justice minister Andries Nel and Ramaphosa's counsel in parliament Gerdhadus Koornhof. 

Political analyst Sandile Swana said Ramaphosa was not under pressure to choose any other envoy because he had met with Trump with ministers and created an opportunity for detailed conversations to take place at a ministerial level.

“An envoy is not an ambassador…So once the reset has been done, then an ambassador can kick in and run the operation in accordance with what would have been agreed on in these discussions,” Swana said.

He said what remained to be seen, once the dust had settled, was how Ramaphosa would choose.

“He may choose a neutral person who is solid. Remember Rasool had a very successful career when (Barack) Obama was president, but he differed ideologically with Trump and correctly characterised the whole Make America Great Again initiative as a white supremacy movement,” Swana said.

Cape Times