GNU parties split over Ebrahim Rasool expulsion
Last Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he was expelling Rasool, accusing the ambassador of being a race-baiting politician who hates America.
FILE: Former Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool engages with the press at Pinelands Blue School on 29 May 2024, where he’s expected to cast his vote. Picture: Skhu Nkomphela/Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - There has been mixed reaction from parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU) over the expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador to the United States (US), Ebrahim Rasool.
Last Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he was expelling Rasool, accusing the ambassador of being a race-baiting politician who hates America.
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The expulsion came after Rasool made comments on a podcast saying President Donald Trump’s "Make America Great Again" movement was a supremacist assault on US politics that was reacting to the diminishing white voter base.
The Freedom Front (FF) Plus said Rasool was expressing the African National Congress (ANC)’s anti-American posture, while the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s spokesperson on international relations, Emma Powell, said Rasool’s comments were unwise.
“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.”
Al Jama-ah leader Ganief Hendricks has, however, condemned Rasool’s expulsion, accusing the Trump administration of Islamophobia.
“The world will stand with South Africa and its quest for justice, respect for international law, and also heralding in a new civilisation in the hope America will have a change of heart and join the new civilisation.”
EFF WANTS JOEL POLLACK BLOCKED FROM AMBASSADORSHIP
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said President Cyril Ramaphosa must block the ambassadorship of the “divisive” Joel Pollak if he is picked to represent the United States (US) in South Africa.
Pollak, a South African-born US citizen and editor of the right-wing news outlet Breitbart, has been tipped to become the US’s next ambassador to the country.
Pollak’s close ties with the current US administration were evident when Rubio attached an article he wrote in his announcement expelling Rasool.
The EFF’s head of international relations, Nqobile Mhlongo, said Ramaphosa must not sign Pollak’s letter of credence should he become ambassador.
Letters of credence are presented by ambassadors to the head of state for formal recognition to begin their work.
“We should reject any racists the Americans want to bring to South Africa and say we are not going to work with this person or accept this person as an ambassador because they are now taking a hostile stance to South Africa.
“I don’t know what makes Trump think only America has a right to freedom of expression to speak anyhow they see fit about our government, and when we do the same, they react in this manner of expelling our ambassador.”