In the midst of increasingly fraught diplomatic relations between South Africa and the United States, President Cyril Ramaphosa is reportedly contemplating appointing a high-profile Afrikaner as the country’s next ambassador to Washington. This potential move comes in the wake of the controversial recall of former ambassador Ebrahim Rasool and follows heightened rhetoric from both South African and American officials.
According to Sunday Times reporting, Ramaphosa and newly appointed Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, are actively considering several prominent white Afrikaner political figures to assume the strategic post. Among the most notable candidates is Roelf Meyer, the former apartheid-era Defence Minister and one of the chief National Party negotiators at the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA). Meyer is remembered for his crucial role in facilitating South Africa’s peaceful democratic transition, working closely with Ramaphosa during the early 1990s — a partnership colloquially dubbed “R&R” for their camaraderie and joint leadership.
Another contender is Marthinus van Schalkwyk, the last leader of the National Party before its transformation into the New National Party, and later its merger with the Democratic Party to form the Democratic Alliance. Van Schalkwyk subsequently joined the African National Congress (ANC), serving both as Minister of Tourism and as ambassador to Australia.
Additional names under consideration include Andries Nel, who formerly served as Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, and Gerhardus Koornhof, a seasoned political adviser and the son of the late apartheid-era cabinet minister Piet Koornhof.
This ambassadorial shuffle follows the unceremonious departure of Ebrahim Rasool, who was effectively expelled from the United States after making incendiary remarks in a public address. Rasool accused former US President Donald Trump of orchestrating a global movement grounded in white victimhood and supremacism — comments that sparked fierce backlash.
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa is also said to be committed to having former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas lead a separate envoy to the US. However, a resurfaced video from five years ago — in which Jonas labels Trump a “racist homophobe” — has complicated his viability. Jonas, currently the chair of MTN, continues to enjoy the President’s backing, although other senior ANC members are reportedly advocating for Ayanda Dlodlo to take over leadership of the envoy. Dlodlo previously held ministerial positions before becoming an Executive Director at the World Bank in Washington in 2022.
Not all voices within the state apparatus are aligned with the direction being considered. A senior government official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, has questioned the political optics of appointing a white Afrikaner to such a symbolic role at this time. The official warned that it may “send the wrong message” amid global misinformation campaigns about land reform and racial dynamics in South Africa, especially in light of legislation proposed by US lawmakers that falsely frames Afrikaners as a persecuted group. “This is not about competence,” the official noted, “but about timing and context.”
The backdrop to these diplomatic decisions is a severely strained US-South Africa relationship, exacerbated by Trump’s re-election and renewed scrutiny of South Africa’s land reform policies. Particularly contentious is the recently enacted Expropriation Act, which allows for land confiscation without compensation under limited conditions. US Republican officials have vociferously denounced the law, alleging that it discriminates against white farmers — claims that South Africa’s government has firmly rejected as unsubstantiated and driven by politically motivated disinformation.
US Congressman Troy Nehls has introduced the so-called “Afrikaner Act” in the American legislature, seeking to grant Afrikaans-speaking South Africans Priority-2 refugee status on the grounds of alleged ethnic persecution. The claim, based on the perceived threat to Afrikaner land ownership, has been widely criticised in South Africa as baseless and inflammatory.
Further reflecting the deteriorating bilateral rapport, US Representative Ronny Jackson tabled the 2025 US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act. The bill proposes sanctions against South African officials deemed to support America’s adversaries, citing concerns over Pretoria’s growing ties with China, Russia, Iran, and Hamas. These geopolitical accusations have added another layer of complexity to South Africa’s hosting of the G20 summit in Johannesburg later this year — an event now clouded by speculation over whether Trump will attend.
In a recent statement, Trump alleged that “they are taking the land of white farmers and then killing them and their families,” asserting that US financial aid to South Africa has been withheld. These statements, however, have not been corroborated by independent investigations or South African law enforcement data. The South African government has maintained that its land reform strategy is constitutionally grounded and aimed at rectifying historical injustices rather than targeting any racial group.
As the G20 summit in Johannesburg draws near, the choice of ambassador to the United States takes on heightened symbolic and strategic importance. Whether Ramaphosa’s administration ultimately selects an Afrikaner envoy or pivots to another approach, the appointment is likely to shape South Africa’s diplomatic trajectory with one of its most powerful — and now most critical — global partners.
