Search for South Africa’s ambassador to US shrouded by uncertainty

THE appointment of South Africa’s ambassador to the US is still marred by uncertainty 10 months after the Trump-led administration dismissed Ebrahim Rasool. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special advisor for investment promotion, Alistair Ruiters, still appears to be the preferred candidate to replace Ebrahim Rasool as Ambassador to the US.

Ruiters reportedly has a strong backing from the business community and the DA, who view him as a pragmatic, professional choice capable of navigating US markets and politics.

Other candidates are ANC veteran and former Minister of Defence and Constitutional Development Roelf Meyer, Marthinus van Schalkwyk (former leader of the National Party who later joined the ANC and served as Minister of Tourism), Andries Nel (the current Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development), Gerhardus Koornhof (President’s parliamentary counsellor), Trevor Manuel (former Finance Minister) and Tony Leon, who is a former DA leader and former Ambassador to Argentina.

Rasool was expelled by the US government after he was declared “persona non grata”. This was a result of his criticism of Donald Trump’s administration during an online webinar, accusing it of “mobilising supremacism".

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) would not divulge what stage, the process to replace Rasool, had reached.

Following Rasool's expulsion, Ramaphosa appointed former Deputy Minister of Finance, Mcebisi Jonas, as a special envoy to the US in April to manage bilateral, trade and diplomatic priorities while the permanent position remained vacant. 

However, the US government denied Jonas a diplomatic visa and rejected his credentials, citing past critical remarks in which he reportedly called Trump a “racist”, “homophobe”, and a “narcissistic right-winger” in 2020.

International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola, in August, stated that the process of replacing Rasool with a new ambassador to the US was at an “advanced stage” with a decision “imminent”, emphasising that the vacant post was not the cause of US tariff issues, which were a global phenomenon. 

Asked how far the process is, Lamola’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, said questions should be sent to the Presidency. However, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, did not respond to questions by deadline.  

Meanwhile, the US has appointed Leo Brent Bozell III as its new ambassador to South Africa. The appointment was confirmed by the US Senate on December 18, 2025.

An expert close to the situation said that although the process of appointing an ambassador has never been an issue, "the 'right-wing' political interests in South Africa want to politicise the position, adding that all candidates have been selected to represent specific interests". 

He said these candidates were selected to please both the US and Israel, adding that this could force South Africa to withdraw the case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

“If you can make an appointment that does not please the US and Israel, they will still reject,” the source said.

International relations expert, Professor Kgothatso Shai, said the escalation of tensions between South Africa and the US is largely responsible for the delay in appointing the ambassador. 

“Whoever is appointed as the new Ambassador of South Africa to the US would have to present diplomatic credentials to Trump, who is deeply aggrieved by the government of South Africa. So, the current timing is not good. The US may want to frustrate this process as a way of asserting its superiority in relation to South Africa,” Shai said. 

Political analyst Sandile Swana said there are no imminent prospects for a meaningful diplomatic relationship between South Africa and the US until the case at the ICJ is finished, and until South Africa separates itself from Iran, China and Russia. 

“Instead of doing that, I am told that South Africa (is planning) public military exercises with the three countries. So, no progress can be made in improving the relationship between South Africa and the US."

Cape Times