Diplomatic relations between South Africa and the United States have sharply deteriorated following Washington’s expulsion of South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool on 14 March. The fallout has sparked political backlash at home over the country’s foreign policy priorities in the Trump era.
The expulsion, announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio via social media, has been described as a bombshell, reverberating through South African politics and society. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), Rubio declared: “South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country. Ebrahim Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America…”
The US State Department further clarified that Rasool’s diplomatic status would be revoked as of 17 March, with a deadline for his departure by 21 March. The department cited Rasool’s critical remarks about President Donald Trump during a recent webinar as grounds for his removal.
The decision has inflamed tensions in South Africa, with many viewing it as retribution for the country’s stance on the Gaza conflict. Analysts suggest Pretoria’s legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice, as well as its growing alignment with the BRICS bloc and support for Palestinian rights, have contributed to Washington’s ire.
Rasool told the BBC on his arrival home, for which he received a hero’s welcome, that he had no regrets.
And President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office has responded with restraint, describing the move as regrettable but reaffirming South Africa’s commitment to a constructive relationship with Washington.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya stated: “South Africa remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America.”
But some SA parties had criticism of how he handled the situation.
One is Azania People’s Organization (AZAPO), which criticised the US move, but also suggested that Rasool’s statements left him vulnerable. AZAPO spokesperson Jabu Rakwena told The New Arab: “Rasool’s public comments presented a perfect tool and an excuse for the US to declare him persona non grata and dismiss him in an unprecedented manner. This was clearly done to cause embarrassment to the government of South Africa”.
“Rasool was a victim of US aggression and determination to express its displeasure at how SA handled the case of genocide against Israel and its coziness to Palestinians. The US is also not happy with SA’s closeness to BRICS and the talks within it of de-dollarisation. SA must consolidate and brace itself for more similar action by the US in the coming four years.”
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The pro-Trump AfriForum leader Kallie Kriel used the occasion to criticise the governing African National Congress (ANC), accusing the party of jeopardising national interests.
“In the midst of the current diplomatic tension, the ANC leaders saw fit to invite Iran’s ambassador to South Africa, Mansour Shakib Mehr, to the ANC headquarters last week. The ANC leadership prioritises the party’s interests and misguided policies over the country’s well-being. With this type of action, the ANC leaders are gambling with the future of the country and us as ordinary citizens of the country,” said Kriel.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), which entered a Government of National Unity with the ANC after the latter failed to secure a majority in the last election, also voiced concerns over foreign policy decisions being made unilaterally.
DA MP Emma Louise Powell said: “The ANC, a 39% party, no longer enjoys an outright majority and are no longer at liberty to single-handedly determine South Africa’s foreign policy agenda without consulting their partners in government. Under the Government of National Unity, South Africa’s embassies across the world must now be staffed by suitably qualified and appropriately trained professionals, capable of appropriately and impartially representing our miracle democracy.”
Al Jama-ah, a Muslim party, condemned the expulsion as Islamophobic and provocatively timed.
“On this World Islamophobia Day, Al Jama-ah strongly condemns the unjust expulsion of South Africa’s Muslim Ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, by the Trump administration. This deeply troubling act, carried out on a day that calls for global reflection on the rise of Islamophobia, highlights the dangerous and divisive actions of the US president and his administration.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) issued a scathing statement, characterising President Trump as a racist provocateur and defending Rasool’s criticism of him.
“The EFF agrees with the characterization given by ambassador Rasool that the American president is the grand wizard of a global ku klux klan dressed up as a Make America Great Again (MAGA). It is therefore not surprising to see the resurgence of right-wing groups in South Africa emboldened by their new found master and savior of the white race hence the endless trips to America to pursue the failed dreams of a white volkstaat at the southern tip of Africa.”
The EFF also alleged that groups such as AfriForum and Solidarity are lobbying Washington to block South African legislative reforms, including the Expropriation Bill, the National Health Insurance Bill, and the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act.
“The only reason these racist organizations do not want these Bills to be implemented is their fear of being equal to the majority of the population of the country, they hate and fear equality.”
Amid the diplomatic storm, some observers warn of further turbulence as President Trump embarks on a second term. A student of international relations at Nelson Mandela University, speaking anonymously, expressed fears about worsening global inequality.
“Who doesn’t know that Trump administration hates poor and black people? Why did he terminate USAID while he knew that its main beneficiaries are the poor blacks? Trump has a blatant disdain for blacks and he hasn’t finished with his crusade of punishing the poor yet. He is also busy shutting down publications and radio stations that promoted democracy, for example the Voice of America radio was the only hope for the oppressed masses across the globe, but it’s now shut down.”
Joseph Chirume is a freelance journalist from Zimbabwe based in South Africa, writing on human rights and immigration issues with a focus on the South African landscape. He has reported for GroundUp News.
