South Africa appoints us a special messenger to ease the relationship

South Africa has appointed a special messenger in the US, seeking to ease the tension between the two countries that deteriorated after Donald Trump’s return.

President Cyril Ramaphos announced the choice of MCEBISI Jonas, adding that he was “entrusted (promotion) of diplomatic, trade and bilateral priorities of South Africa.”

Jonas, a former Deputy Minister of Finance, made headlines when he expressed allegations of corruption against a wealthy family related to former President Jacob Zuma.

Last month, the United States expelled South Africa’s ambassador Ebrahim Rasuel, on the occasions he expressed about the Trump administration.

In the office of Ramaphos Jonas will “serve as an official representative” of the President and South Africa.

“He will negotiate, promote strategic partnerships and interact with US government officials and the private sector heads to promote our country’s interests.”

Earlier, Jonas served as one of four South Africa’s investment messengers intended in 2018 to help encourage foreign companies to invest their money.

It first entered the focus of the deputy minister of finance when accused the wealthy Guptus family, which had close ties with Zumi, that he offered a bribe of 600 million Rand ($ 31.7 million; £ 24.14 million) to become a finance minister.

It was one of the most shocking number of accusations of corruption against Zuma and Guptas.

Jonas, who refused the proposal and later would be a voice about his resistance, stated that the proposal came before his boss at that time, Nlan Nane, was fired.

If he accepted, Jonas said at the time that he was expected to remove key Treasury officials from his posts and use his position to promote the “business ambitions” of the Gupta family – an example of what became known in South Africa as “Western state”.

Later he said he was said he would be killed When he said about the meeting. The Gupta family denied these accusations, while Zuma always denied all charges of corruption against him.

In the end, Nane was then replaced by the little -known David van Ruen, which led to the run on currency and national protests before a new finance minister was appointed in a few days.

Currently, Jonas is the independent non -executive chairman of the multinational telecommunications company MTN Group, of which Ramaphos said he would continue with his appointment with a special messenger.

Ramaphos announced earlier this year that he would send messengers to several countries, including the United States, to explain the country’s position on key issues, some of whom have attracted the Trump administration.

Relations between the United States and South Africa, characterized by the rise and falls over the years, suffered from rock -earlier this year, and Trump cut off assistance in the country, citing a new expropriation law that allows the government to confiscate the land without compensation under certain circumstances.

Trump in a message last weekend reaffirmed the intention of boycotting the upcoming G20 2025 summit, which took place in South Africa at the end of this year, calling the controversial terrestrial policy of the main reason.

Trump also condemned South Africa for taking Israel to an international court, accusing him of committing a genocide in the Gaza Strip, which Israel denied.