South African Ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, returned to South Africa on Sunday, March 23rd, following his expulsion from Washington. Addressing a crowd of supporters at Cape Town International Airport, Rasool stood defiantly, reaffirming South Africa’s diplomatic principles and rejecting pressure to alter its foreign policy stance.
Rasool acknowledged that his return was not by choice but emphasized, “It was not our choice to come home, but we come home with no regrets.” The U.S. government expelled him after he publicly criticized former President Donald Trump’s administration, particularly its handling of racial issues and foreign policy.
Relations between South Africa and the United States have deteriorated in recent months. Trump cut financial aid to South Africa in February, citing the government’s legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and alleging land confiscation from white farmers. Rasool dismissed such claims as misinformation, stating, “We would have liked to come back with a welcome like this if we could report to you that we had turned away the lies of a white genocide in South Africa, but we did not succeed in America with that.”
The ambassador emphasized that his diplomatic approach challenged misconceptions while preserving South Africa’s sovereignty. “We could not win AGOA by withdrawing our case from the International Court of Justice against Israel,” he explained, reinforcing Pretoria’s commitment to holding Israel accountable for its military actions in Gaza.
Despite his expulsion, Rasool urged a renewed but principled engagement with Washington. “We must rebuild and reset the relationship with America because our relationship over 50 years has not always been with the White House. It has sometimes been with Congress and it has always been with the people of the United States of America.”
He also warned against racialized diplomatic appointments, stating, “We cannot have a simplistic idea that while we say there must be an ambassador, that you must put a white ambassador for a white president in the United States.”
The South African government has signaled its intention to restore relations with Washington while maintaining its independent foreign policy. Rasool is expected to brief President Cyril Ramaphosa on his diplomatic mission on Monday.
