Former Democratic Alliance (DA) leader and Ambassador to Argentina Tony Leon says he is not looking for a job regarding the possibility of replacing expelled SA’s Ambassador to the United States Ebrahim Rasool.
The party’s federal chairperson Helen Zille had nominated Leon to replace Rasool.
TONY LEON TO BECOME SA’S NEXT AMBASSADOR TO THE US?
As previously reported, Rasool criticised the US and its President Donald Trump when he virtually addressed the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) and was declared persona non grata. His immunities ceased on 17 March and was ordered to leave the US by 21 March.
Rasool received a hero’s welcome when he landed at the Cape Town International Airport on Sunday where he addressed ANC, SACP and Cosatu members who were present.
On Monday, Tony Leon told eNCA that Rasool’s sentiments were completely outside the norm of a diplomat speaking in a foreign country to which he’s accredited even if he is addressing people from his country.
“Whether or not the action and steps taken by the United States were justified that’s not the matter, but, I must say his rally at the airport was the performance of an activist and not of an ambassador,” he said.
Leon also criticised the country’s policies saying they are the main issue in the fall out with the Trump administration. Earlier this year US President Donald Trump cut aid funding to South Africa on assertions that the country was “confiscating” land via the Expropriation Act. Additionally, Trump offered to take in Afrikaners “who are under attack in South Africa” as refugees in the US and over 70 000 have showed interest in taking up the offer.
On whether or not he would take up the role to be SA’s Ambassador to the US Leon chuckled, saying although he was honoured to be nominated by someone like Helen Zille but “I am not seeking a job.”
WHY ZILLE NOMINATED HER FORMER BOSS
Speaking on the sideways during a Human Rights Day commemoration last Friday, Zille told journalists that she believes Ramaphosa should consult about Rasool’s replacement as this is a crucial position.
“We know very well that President Trump is looming inwards, he wants to make America great again as he says and he’s not interested in countries that he sees are undermining the US’s interests, but it doesn’t help South Africa to alienate the United States,” Zille said.
The former Western Cape Premier said South African cannot afford to turn America into an enemy and that is why it’s important to appoint an excellent diplomat as many American companies have invested in South Africa and the US is one of SA’s biggest trade partners.
When asked about an ideal candidate, Zille said: “Well, if I had to choose, I would choose somebody like Tony Leon. I think he would be excellent. He has been a very good ambassador before in Argentina. I think he has all the skills at a very top level, he’s a great intellectual, he reads very widely and he understands foreign policy. That’s the calibre of the person that you need.”
WHO DO YOU THINK IS THE IDEAL CANDIDATE TO REPLACE EBRAHIM RASOOL?
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