Expelled US Ambassador Rasool warns SA on G20 transition to US – report

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Cape Town — Following his shocking expulsion as US ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool has reportedly urged the government to carefully manage the G20 handover amid strained relations with Washington.

Rasool, who began his post earlier this year, was on Friday informed via social media by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that he is no longer welcome in the country.

Rasool “is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS”, Rubio posted on X, referring to Trump by his White House X account handle.

“We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA.”

His expulsion followed remarks he made at a Mapungubwe Institute foreign policy event where he criticised Trump’s policies, which he linked to white supremacist ideologies.

Meanwhile, tensions have led two US secretaries to skip G20 meetings in South Africa, raising concerns about the upcoming presidency transfer to the US.

Acccording to EWN, Rasool emphasised the need for South Africa to remain strategic, suggesting that if handled well, the G20 transition under Donald Trump’s leadership could lead to global institutional reforms.

Regarding US concerns over South Africa’s Expropriation Act, Rasool advised against rushing to send an envoy, noting that the US administration has yet to appoint officials for its Africa division.

“Don’t come empty handed. Be ready to deal. Don’t come and say, ‘Oh, we want to discuss this and explain to you’. There’s no room for explanation. You saw the Zelensky effect. If you prevaricate, you’re a loser. You’ve got to come here knowing what’s your top line, what’s your middle line, what’s your bottom line, and then put it forward as a negotiating strategy, otherwise you’re a loser,” the report quoted Rasool  as saying.

The US-South Africa relationship has been on a downward spiral since Trump froze US aid to the country in February, citing concerns over land seizure laws targeting white farmers.

Trump further inflamed the situation by offering South African farmers fast-tracked US citizenship, calling land confiscation policies “discriminatory”.

Tech mogul Elon Musk also criticised South Africa’s land policies, calling them “openly racist”.

Despite an initially positive discussion between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year, relations have deteriorated.

South Africa’s close ties to BRICS and its stance on Western sanctions against Russia have also drawn scrutiny. In 2023, Washington accused Pretoria of covertly supplying arms to Moscow — a claim South African officials denied.

Tensions escalated when US lawmakers threatened to revoke South Africa’s trade privileges under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

However, South Africa ultimately retained its status.

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Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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