JOHANNESBURG - The Presidency has expressed regret at the expulsion of South Africa’s Ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool.
In a statement the presidency called on all relevant parties to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in their engagement with the matter.
It's also reiterated the country's commitment to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the US.
PRESIDENCY NOTES RASOOL EXPULSION
The Presidency has noted the regrettable expulsion of South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Mr. Ebrahim Rasool.
The Presidency urges all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in…— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) March 15, 2025
International Relations expert and Professor of International Relations at Wits University, John Stremlau discussed the issue with eNCA, saying, "I know Ambassador Rasool, I've met him at the Carter Centre. He came down, he spoke very glowingly about the diversity and inclusion and equity that South Africa is engaged in and is in its constitution."
"But DEI is an anathema to Donald Trump and the advisors who have been born in apartheid South Africa and seem to long for that kind of racial dominance."
"I can think of no more diplomatic way to frame it than that," he said.
Stremlau said, "So long as Trump is in power, he will cede the initiatives - he's never been to South Africa - and will cede the initiatives to Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and David [Oliver] Sacks and the so-called Paypal Mafia that are very wealthy but carry a grudge against the democracy down here in South Africa."