SOUTH Africa’s newly appointed special envoy to the United States, Mcebisi Jonas, is facing renewed scrutiny over remarks he made in 2020 criticising President Donald Trump. Jonas, a former deputy finance minister, was officially named to the role by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday, amid a diplomatic rift between Pretoria and Washington.
According to The Associated Press (AP), Jonas’s appointment comes just weeks after the Trump administration expelled South Africa’s previous ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, citing anti-Trump rhetoric and growing tensions over racial and foreign policy issues.
2020 speech resurfaces amid strained ties
Jonas is under pressure for a speech he delivered on November 8, 2020 — shortly after Joe Biden’s electoral victory — in which he described Trump as a ‘racist, homophobic, narcissistic right-winger.’
‘Right now, the U.S. is undergoing a watershed moment, with Biden the certain winner in the presidential race against the racist, homophobic Donald Trump,’ Jonas said during the annual Ahmed Kathrada Lecture.
He added: ‘How we got to a situation where a narcissistic right-winger took charge of the world’s greatest economic and military powerhouse is something that we need to ponder over. It is something that all democracies need to ponder over.’
The comments, widely circulated in the media, are now fuelling concerns about his ability to rebuild diplomatic ties with the US under the Trump presidency.
South Africa, US clash over policy and race
The diplomatic fallout follows Trump’s decision in February to suspend all US funding to South Africa, accusing its government of pursuing anti-white and anti-American policies — claims that have been widely discredited by experts and political leaders across South Africa’s spectrum.
Trump’s criticism also focused on a land reform law that allows expropriation of property without compensation in certain cases. While no land has been seized under the law, white minority groups lobbied Washington for intervention, triggering Trump to announce a refugee programme for white South African farmers.
Rasool’s expulsion came after he remarked that the ‘Make America Great Again’ movement was driven by a ‘supremacist instinct’ — prompting US officials to label him a ‘race-baiting politician’.
Jonas pledges to rebuild relations
Despite the controversy, Jonas has pledged to do his best to restore constructive engagement between South Africa and the United States. In a statement following his appointment, he said he was ‘aware of the difficulties that lie ahead’ and committed to fostering ‘a healthy working relationship’ between the two nations.
His 2020 speech, delivered during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, largely focused on global inequality, the rise of nationalism, and the value of international cooperation. ‘Hopefully the defeat of Trump will deal a blow to the deglobalisation lobby,’ he said at the time.
There has been no immediate comment from Jonas or the South African government in response to the resurfacing of the remarks.
A test of diplomacy amid political divides
Jonas’s appointment comes at a sensitive moment in US-South Africa relations, with Pretoria balancing domestic reforms and global diplomacy while navigating a changed geopolitical landscape.
While the African National Congress government has often promoted multilateralism and global equity, its rhetoric and policy choices have increasingly clashed with Washington under Trump.
Observers will now watch closely to see whether Jonas can navigate past political tensions and promote a reset in bilateral ties — or whether his past remarks will overshadow future diplomacy.
