Is Mcebisi Jonas’ Trump ‘flip-flop’ a strategic move?

While Mcebisi Jonas has moved to explain his previous criticism of United States (US) President Donald Trump, an analyst has suggested it may be a strategic move to win Washington’s favour.

During a public lecture in 2020, Jonas described Trump as a racist, homophobe, and narcissist.

However, on Wednesday, The Citizen reported that Jonas explained that he was not in government when he made those remarks and that politicians always say bad things about each other.

“At the time, I was outside of government — I was speaking as an activist. I think people move on. If you Google any politician, they’ve said one nasty thing about one other politician or another. But the reality of the matter and the task at hand is to work on the relations between the two countries,” he said

Is Jonas backtracking?

Sanet Solomon from the University of the Free State told The Citizen on Wednesday that Jonas’ explanation of his utterances could be perceived as a weakness or as him flip-flopping. However, this is a good diplomatic move.

“Exceptional diplomats know that they are tasked to put national interest first, and that’s exactly what is guiding his behaviour and decisions.

“Given the country’s current economic context, South Africa cannot afford any further tariff increases or a breakdown with any of its trade partners — the US included,” Solomon said.

She added that Jonas is a seasoned politician who understands his assignment to the US.

“Mr Jonas’ recent statement is indicative of his desire to restore the relationship between Pretoria and Washington. He knows that his former communication would be under scrutiny given his new appointment.

“He is committed to succeeding in this new post despite it requiring him to justify his past personal opinions. As the new envoy to the US, he is determined to succeed in remedying bilateral relations and trade,” Solomon said.

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Ebrahim Rasool and ANC position on Trump

Jonas is not the only ANC member who has been critical of the Trump administration.

Former SA ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool was recently expelled from that country and declared an undesirable person.

This, after he accused Trump of being a white supremacist.

“While it is possible that some members within the ANC could hold the same sentiments, it is unlikely that they would voice these publicly given the current diplomatic tensions.

“Instead, they might also resort to backtracking and or contextualising why those sentiments were shared- if it is already out in the public,” Solomon said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa had also cautioned members of his party to be aware of the current tensions with the US and refrain from worsening the situation.

SA ‘weak’ for not having an ambassador?

Jonas has been appointed as a special envoy to the US, not as an ambassador.

Solomon said it is wise for South Africa to take the time to appoint Rasool’s replacement because of the complexity of relations between Washington and Pretoria.

“Given the recent developments between the US and South Africa, it is of utmost importance that the correct person be selected for this post.

“Thus, South Africa could be perceived as cautious and not necessarily weak for taking its time with this selection,” she said.

Solomon said sending Jonas to the US is a worthwhile “experiment” as it would provide more insights into the kind of ambassador the country would need to send.

“He would also be able to assess what the ambassador should avoid and focus on once he is in the States,” she said.

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