South Africa has appointed a special envoy to the US in an effort to ease tensions between the two countries, which have worsened since Donald Trump’s return as president.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Mcebisi Jonas’s selection, adding that he would be “entrusted with [advancing] South Africa’s diplomatic, trade and bilateral priorities”.
Jonas, a former deputy finance minister, made headlines when he made corruption allegations against a wealthy family linked to former President Jacob Zuma.
The US last month expelled South Africa’s ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, over remarks he had made about the Trump administration.
Ramaphosa’s office said Jonas would be “serving as the official representative” of the president and South Africa.
“He will lead negotiations, foster strategic partnerships and engage with US government officials and private-sector leaders to promote our nation’s interests.”
Jonas has previously served as one of South Africa’s four investment envoys, appointed in 2018 to help encourage investment into the country.
He first came into the spotlight during his tenure as deputy finance minister when he accused the wealthy Gupta family, which had close ties to Zuma, of offering him a bribe to become finance minister.
The family has been accused of wielding enormous political influence in South Africa and of “capturing the state” in order to advance its business interests.
He currently serves as an independent non-executive chairman of the multinational telecommunications company, the MTN Group, which Ramaphosa said he will continue with alongside his appointment as special envoy.
Ramaphosa earlier this year announced he would be dispatching envoys to several countries, including the US, to explain the country’s position on key issues, some of which have drawn the Trump administration’s ire.
Relations between the US and South Africa, characterised by ups and downs over the years, hit rock bottom earlier this year, with Trump cutting off aid to the country, citing the new Expropriation Law, which allows the government to confiscate land without compensation in certain circumstances.
Trump, in a post over the weekend, reiterated his intention to boycott the upcoming G20 2025 Summit taking place in South Africa later this year, citing the controversial land policy as the main reason.
Trump has also condemned South Africa for taking Israel to the International Court of Justice, accusing it of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, which Israel has denied.
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