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According to AfriForum, reports that the US government has denied Mcebisi Jonas, South Africa’s special envoy to the US, a visa and rejected his credentials, only reaffirm the ANC-led government’s mishandling of the diplomatic crisis with the US. It has also been revealed today, among other things, that President Cyril Ramaphosa has allegedly been aware that Jonas had not been welcome in Washington for months, that the Trump administration had explicitly informed the South African government of this on multiple occasions, and that they insisted on the appointment of an alternative envoy.

Shortly after Ramaphosa appointed Jonas as special envoy to the US in April, Jonas’ previous inflammatory remarks – in which he labelled US President Donald Trump a “racist” and a “narcissist” – resurfaced, raising serious questions about Jonas’ suitability for the role.

According to Ernst van Zyl, Head of Public Relations at AfriForum, the latest revelations confirm that South Africa has been without diplomatic representation in Washington for more than three months, during one of the country’s most serious diplomatic crises since 1994. “It also explains why absolutely no progress has been made so far in reaching a critical trade deal with the US. In the meantime, devastating sanctions in the form of reciprocal tariffs on exports to the US will be imposed on the country within about two weeks, after the 90 days granted to renegotiate it have been wasted,” Van Zyl continues.

“Ramaphosa expressing his satisfaction with this level of diplomatic failure is baffling, unless sabotaging the country’s relationship with the US is the ANC’s objective,” Van Zyl concludes.

AfriForum demands that the South African government handle the matter transparently and immediately disclose what Jonas has been busy with for the past 90 days in his role as special envoy.

Issued by AfriForum