Ramaphosa Weighs Appointing Prominent Afrikaner as US Ambassador

(3 Minutes Read)

Amid rising tensions between South Africa and the United States, President Cyril Ramaphosa is reportedly considering appointing a prominent Afrikaner as the new ambassador to Washington. This follows the controversial removal of former ambassador Ebrahim Rasool and a surge in sharp exchanges between the two countries’ officials.

According to the Sunday Times, Ramaphosa and newly appointed Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola are evaluating several well-known white Afrikaner political figures for the role. One leading candidate is Roelf Meyer, a key negotiator during South Africa’s democratic transition and a former apartheid-era Defence Minister. Meyer, who worked closely with Ramaphosa during the 1990s constitutional talks, is remembered for his role in the peaceful shift to democracy.

Also under consideration is Marthinus van Schalkwyk, the last leader of the National Party before it evolved into the New National Party and later merged with the Democratic Alliance. He later joined the ANC and held various government positions, including Minister of Tourism and ambassador to Australia.

Other possible appointees include Andries Nel, a former Deputy Minister of Justice, and Gerhardus Koornhof, a longtime political adviser and son of an apartheid-era minister.

This comes after Ebrahim Rasool was effectively forced out of Washington for making inflammatory public remarks, including accusations that former US President Donald Trump led a global white supremacist movement.

Additionally, Ramaphosa supports former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas to head a special envoy to the US. However, an old video in which Jonas calls Trump a “racist homophobe” has sparked controversy. Despite this, Jonas retains Ramaphosa’s support, though some ANC officials are pushing for Ayanda Dlodlo — currently an Executive Director at the World Bank — to lead the mission instead.

Not everyone in government supports appointing a white Afrikaner to such a high-profile diplomatic role, with one senior official warning that the move could send the wrong message internationally. Critics argue that the optics are problematic amid misleading narratives from US lawmakers framing Afrikaners as victims of state persecution.

Relations between the US and South Africa have deteriorated further with Trump’s re-election and renewed US criticism of South Africa’s land reform policies — particularly the Expropriation Act, which permits land seizure without compensation in specific circumstances. Republican lawmakers have denounced the policy, with Congressman Troy Nehls introducing the “Afrikaner Act,” which seeks to give Afrikaans-speaking South Africans refugee status based on unproven claims of ethnic persecution.

Adding to the tension, Representative Ronny Jackson has proposed legislation that could sanction South African officials over ties with nations the US sees as adversaries — including Russia, China, Iran, and Hamas — further straining Pretoria’s efforts to host a successful G20 summit later this year.

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Trump has made further incendiary claims, alleging that white farmers are being dispossessed and murdered — statements not supported by South African authorities or independent investigations. The South African government continues to assert that its land reforms are legally sound and aimed at addressing past injustices, not racial discrimination.

As South Africa prepares for the G20 summit, the decision on who will represent the country in Washington is becoming a key indicator of how Ramaphosa plans to navigate an increasingly complex and hostile diplomatic landscape.