The Scoop
A veteran politician in South Africa’s African National Congress has emerged as the leading candidate to be the country’s next ambassador to the US after the expulsion of its top diplomat in Washington deepened tensions between the nations.
Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Andries Carl Nel has emerged as an early favorite, according to three people familiar with the matter. Nel, who is said to be widely respected within the coalition government’s largest party, has been a deputy minister since 2009.
South Africa is scrambling to appoint a new ambassador to the United States after Ebrahim Rasool was booted out of Washington last week. Government leaders in Pretoria felt embarrassed after what they described as Rasool’s “indefensible” criticism of US President Donald Trump at a webinar on Tuesday, said the three senior members of the ruling ANC.
Nel is said to be an uncontroversial figure. “He won’t speak out of line. He is a smart guy and his messaging will be disciplined,” said an ANC colleague. He is of Afrikaans heritage, though people familiar with the matter said that is not why he is being proposed. Nel was part of the liberation struggle and became a lawmaker in 1994 when Nelson Mandela led the ANC to power.
At least three names, including Nel, will be considered by the ANC, said the people familiar with the matter.
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Afrikaans lobby groups AfriForum and Solidarity have become central to the tensions between Washington and Pretoria, often complaining about the ill-treatment of the white minority group.
Trump has accused South Africa of grabbing white-owned land among what he said were “bad things” happening in Africa’s most industrialized economy. Trump’s claims, which have been disputed, appeared to echo claims by AfriForum.
Trump has criticized South Africa’s land expropriation law as being discriminatory and offered asylum to white South African farmers, adding to growing tensions between Washington and Pretoria.
The law, enacted in January, aims to address inequalities dating back to apartheid that mean most private land is owned by white people who make up around 7% of the population. It allows the government to confiscate land in exceptional circumstances if deemed to be in the public interest. No land has been seized under the legislation.
Step Back
Rasool was given 72 hours to leave on Friday following his webinar comments. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Rasool of being a “race-baiting politician” who hates the US and Trump.
Semafor first reported last week that the veteran diplomat, who also served as ambassador during the Obama administration, was struggling to secure crucial meetings in Washington. He is likely to have been frozen out for his prior vocal criticism of Israel, a South African diplomat told Semafor; Rasool is widely considered to be among the government’s most ardent pro-Palestine voices.
Sam’s view
This is just the beginning of what could be a fractious process, as the ANC is no longer the sole decider, after it lost its majority in last year’s election. The Democratic Alliance, the second-biggest party in the coalition, may want to assert itself before a final decision is taken. Ultimately, it is South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to appoint the ambassador.
The ANC’s coalition partners have clashed over various government decisions, including the country’s budget allocations, suggesting there will be intense discussions over the role and attempts to influence Ramaphosa’s eventual choice.
Notable
- Rasool’s expulsion bears similarities to the resignation of Britain’s ambassador to Washington in 2019, during Trump’s first term, following the leak of diplomatic cables in which he called the US administration “inept.”