A major own goal for South Africa

South Africa’s government has reportedly opted not to retaliate against the United States for its expulsion of Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool. Insiders say his comments were a major own goal and are indefensible.

According to reports by the City Press and the Sunday Times, there is a view in government that Rasool’s comments on US President Donald Trump, which spurred the expulsion, crossed the line.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pronounced late Friday that Rasool was “persona non grata” and no longer welcome in the country.

This followed an address by the ambassador this week at the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) where he accused Trump of running a global white supremacist movement.

He also noted that the Trump administration’s focus on white Afrikaners in recent months is a part of this movement, with the aim of perpetuating the idea of white victimhood.

MISTRA attempted to clarify the context of the address after the fallout, saying that the speakers were engaging in an intellectual debate on changes in the United States and how this impacts South Africa and Africa.

In his address, Rasool said that Trump and the so-called MAGA movement (Make America Great Again) were pursuing a “supremacist assault on incumbency”, saying that this was a “supremacist instinct” response to changing demographics in the USA and abroad.

Rasool said that the Trump administration’s focus on Afrikaners was to paint white people as being victims or embattled, which would serve as a “dog whistle” to mobilise a “global white base”.

“It’s almost that they are pitting a supremacist insurgency against the incumbency,” Rasool said, adding that it was an intra-party (Republican vs Republican), national and international “insurgency”.

“It’s forcing critical transitions in the world,” he said.

Rasool went on to say that Trump’s administration has broken all the previous rules of engagement and has taken a “shock and awe” approach to diplomacy, wielding the United States’ economic power to exert pressure through “punitive coercion” instead of “rules-based” duress.

“It’s hard impunity. In-your-face impunity,” he said.

However, he also stressed the need to diplomatically engage with the United States in this new context.

Breaking protocol

Government insiders told the publications that Rasool had scored an “own goal” and that what he said was problematic and counter to the country’s goal of mending relations with the United States.

Certain protocols must be followed by a diplomat on foreign soil, and political accusations should be kept quiet.

They said an ambassador is not a political analyst. In this case, Rasool’s statements are indefensible.

The government insiders told the news publications that the United States is well within its rights to give Rasool the boot over the comments.

They added that this is similar to the time the former US ambassador to South Africa had to be brought in line after accusing the country of giving weapons to Russia.

The US ambassador to South Africa alleged in 2023 that South Africa had supplied arms to Russia when the Lady-R ship docked in the country in late 2022.

The ambassador failed to follow proper diplomatic protocol, making the allegation at a media briefing, and the South African government faced calls to expel him.

In that case, the South African government did not do so – opting for a more diplomatic approach – but it would have been within its rights to.

According to the reports, Rasool has until 21 March to leave the United States, and plans are already being made to do so and find his replacement.

Other South African diplomats will remain in the US.

The presidency said that the move to boot Rasool was “regrettable”, calling on all responses to the situation to remain diplomatic and follow expected protocols.