On Monday, the presidency of South Africa revealed the appointment of Mcebisi Jonas as the Special Envoy to the United States, designating him as the official representative of the President and the South African government.
Jonas, a former deputy finance minister, previously held the role of investment envoy in 2018.
In 2016, he publicly accused then-President Jacob Zuma’s administration of corruption, alleging that the Gupta family attempted to bribe him for the finance minister position.
This appointment comes at a time when relations between Washington and Pretoria are at a significant low, exacerbated earlier this year when President Donald Trump halted US foreign aid to South Africa.
Additionally, in late March, South African ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, was expelled from the US after making critical comments about the Trump administration.
Despite these tensions, President Ramaphosa emphasized his commitment to restoring and strengthening ties with Washington, entrusting Mr. Jonas with the task of promoting South Africa’s diplomatic, trade, and bilateral interests.
