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In a bid to alleviate escalating tensions with the United States, South Africa has designated a special envoy to foster diplomatic relations. This move comes in the wake of growing strain since Donald Trump’s resurgence as president.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the appointment of Mcebisi Jonas, emphasizing his role in promoting South Africa’s diplomatic, trade, and bilateral objectives. Jonas is a notable figure in South African politics, having previously served as deputy finance minister, where he gained prominence by bringing to light serious corruption allegations involving the Gupta family, known for their connections to former President Jacob Zuma.
The situation took a turn for the worse last month when the U.S. expelled South Africa’s ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, due to comments he made regarding the Trump administration. Ramaphosa’s office stated that Jonas would act as the official representative for the president and South Africa, leading negotiations and collaborating with U.S. government officials and private-sector leaders to safeguard the country’s interests.
Previously, Jonas was appointed as one of South Africa’s four investment envoys in 2018, tasked with attracting foreign investment to the nation. His rise to notoriety began during his tenure as deputy finance minister when he claimed that the Gupta family attempted to bribe him with 600 million rand (approximately $31.7 million) to become the finance minister. This incident highlighted the pervasive corruption allegations surrounding Zuma’s administration.
Jonas rebuffed the bribe offer, which arrived shortly before Zuma dismissed his boss, Nhlanhla Nene. He stated that agreeing to the proposal would have required him to remove key officials from the National Treasury and facilitate the Gupta family’s business ambitions, a situation often referred to as “state capture” in South Africa. He later revealed that he had received threats against his life should he ever disclose details of the offer.
Amid this backdrop, Nene was ultimately succeeded by David van Rooyen, an unknown figure at the time, which triggered a significant drop in the currency’s value and public protests until a new finance minister was appointed shortly thereafter.
Currently, Jonas holds the position of independent non-executive chairman of MTN Group, a multinational telecommunications company, and will continue in this role while serving as the special envoy. Earlier this year, Ramaphosa indicated a strategy to send envoys to various nations, including the U.S., to clarify South Africa’s stance on key matters that have raised concern among U.S. officials.
The U.S.-South Africa relationship has experienced significant fluctuations, recently reaching a nadir following Trump’s withdrawal of aid, citing a new Expropriation Law that enables the government to seize land without compensation under specific conditions. Trump’s criticism extended to South Africa’s legal actions against Israel in the International Court of Justice regarding accusations of genocide in the Gaza Strip, which Israel has firmly denied.
Most recently, Trump reaffirmed his intention to boycott the upcoming G20 Summit in South Africa later this year, framing his decision primarily around the contentious land policy.
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