The DA has spoken out after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared SA’s ambassador Ebrahim Rasool persona non grata.
DA spokesperson for international relations, Emma Powell, says the party’s recent working visit to the United States (US) was in the country’s interest.
This comes after South African Communist Party (SACP) member and governance and policy expert, Dr Reneva Fourie, accused the DA, Solidarity and AfriForum of travelling to the US to spark regime change in South Africa.
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DA on US visit: ‘Credible advocate for South Africa’
“As the second-largest party in South Africa’s government of national unity (GNU), the DA remains a steadfast and credible advocate for South Africa’s national interests on the international stage,” Powell said.
Powell said during the DA’s visit, the party engaged with key decision-makers across Congress, the State Department, and the White House.
She said these discussions aimed to ensure that US leaders receive accurate and fact-based information regarding South Africa’s domestic landscape and the challenges the nation is currently navigating.
“The DA further emphasised the importance of maintaining strong communication channels between our two nations, in light of recent tensions exacerbated by unnecessary provocations, which come at the expense of the unity and continued economic development of our Nation,” Powell said.
She said the discussions with US officials made it clear that much work must be done to rebuild bilateral trust.
“The DA has consistently called for a comprehensive reform of South Africa’s foreign policy agenda and the consistent application of our policy of non-alignment to advance our national interest,” she said.
SA’s ambassador to US: Ebrahim Rasool expulsion
Meanwhile, Powell called for urgent intervention from the South African government following the expulsion of Pretoria’s ambassador to the US.
Rasool was expelled after what have been described as hateful statements towards the American people and President Donald Trump.`
The DA remains resolute in opposing the ANC’s divisive, race-based policies and advocating for a means-based approach to addressing systemic inequality.
“The DA views the situation as deeply unfortunate and we call on the Presidency to expedite the GNU delegation to the USA to negotiate a pathway towards the stabilisation of diplomatic relations with one of our country’s most important trade and investment partners,” she said.
Trump will ‘humiliate’ Ramaphosa
Koffi Kouakou, a researcher at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Centre for Africa China Studies (CACS) told The Citizen on Saturday that President Cyril Ramaphosa stands a chance of being embarrassed should he go to the US himself.
“The mistake South Africa might make is for him to go to Washington now. He will be humiliated to death, he will be lucky if Trump does not do anything in public but he will be humiliated and it will also be a huge humiliation to South Africa,” he said.
Kouakou believes that Trump’s obsession with South Africa might have to do with the moral stand that South Africa has taken in the war between Israel and Palestine.
“Trump’s backers and those who are funding him, mainly Israelis, Zionist and jews, are angry that once country in the world South Africa who is not quite as possible have used their moral power to express outrage of the genocide that is taking place in Gaza,” he said.
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