‘Trump’s not clueless – he knows what he’s doing! Jonas to fix it,’ says Nyati

Donald Trump

Cape Town – Eskom chairperson and former MTN CEO, Mteto Nyati, has praised the appointment of former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas as South Africa’s Special Envoy to the United States.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Jonas’s appointment to help mend the country’s strained relationship with the US and promote diplomatic and trade interests.

Speaking during an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Nyati described Jonas as the ideal candidate due to his calm demeanour, business acumen, and political experience.

“This is the right person for the job…Mcebisi is that person. When you look at the challenges that are ahead, these are not simple challenges, such a complex relationship that he has to mend here and you have to balance a number of things… If you are just a political appointee, then you may have a problem, you need to understand the business side of things, so it is a combination of those. That is what he is bringing on the table,” Nyati said. 

He added: “Also, the way he does things, he is a calm person. I like to say that, he has got a good head on his shoulders, and that’s the kind of person that you need for this kind of a complex job… We need people who are not close minded…”

Nyati emphasised that Jonas’s balanced approach is vital in managing the complexities of the US-South Africa relationship, especially in light of past tensions and financial repercussions during Donald Trump’s presidency.

“Many people think Trump is doing this based on misinformation, I think that is a wrong analysis. In fact, he probably knows a lot more than most of us here about what is going on here. So to analyse that and approach it from this point of misunderstanding, that is a huge mistake.

“To analyse this and think that Trump is a crazy person who has absolutely no clue about what is going on, that is a misunderstanding and we will pay dearly for making that kind of a mistake. I think Mcebisi is that kind of a person who is going to help us to really sift through all of this thing and come up with appropriate responses to what they are trying to communicate to us.”

Jonas previously served as a Presidential Investment Envoy and is now tasked with leading negotiations, fostering partnerships, and representing South Africa’s interests in Washington.

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