The South African presidency announced on Monday the appointment of Mcebisi Jonas as Special Envoy to the United States of America, designating him as the official representative of President Cyril Ramaphosa and the South African government.
Jonas, a former deputy finance minister, also served as an investment envoy in 2018. He rose to prominence in 2016 when he accused then-President Jacob Zuma’s administration of corruption, alleging that the influential Gupta family had offered him a bribe to accept the position of finance minister.
His appointment comes at a time of strained relations between Pretoria and Washington—arguably the most tense in recent years. Ties deteriorated sharply earlier this year after U.S. President Donald Trump cut off foreign assistance to South Africa. The diplomatic rift deepened further in late March when South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was declared persona non grata and expelled from the United States following critical remarks about the Trump administration.
In his statement, President Ramaphosa emphasized his commitment to repairing the fractured relationship, saying he remained “committed to rebuilding and maintaining” ties with Washington.
Africanews
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