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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared Ebrahim Rasool persona non-grata.
South Africa's now expelled Ambassador to US Ebrahim Rasool speaks during an event in this undated image. — AFP/File
The presidency and the department of international relations (Dirco) said they had taken note of comments by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that South Africa’s ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, is no longer welcome in that country and has been expelled.
This comes after Rubio took to Elon Musk’s social media platform X on Friday night to describe Rasool as a “race-baiting politician who hates America and hates Potus (the president of the United States)”.
Rubio said Rasool is no longer welcome in “our great country”.
“We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA,” Rubio wrote.
Rubio’s post comes after Rasool’s participation in a seminar by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection on Trump’s policy stance on South Africa.
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Rasool claimed that Trump (and, later, Musk) are leading a global white supremacist movement.
“I think what Donald Trump is launching is an assault on incumbency, those who are in power, by mobilising a supremacism against the incumbency, at home, and – I think I’ve illustrated – abroad as well,” Rasool said.
SA presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said they had taken note of Rubio’s post.
“The presidency has noted the regrettable expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador to the United States of America, Ebrahim Rasool. The presidency urges all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in their engagement with the matter.
“South Africa remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America,” Magwenya said.
Dirco spokesperson Chrispin Phiri also weighed in on Rubio’s remarks.
“We have noted the tweet by the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. We will engage through the diplomatic channel.”
Rasool’s expulsion is the latest in a series of moves by the Trump administration castigating South Africa, which has supported Palestinian rights and helped spearhead a case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel, a US ally, of genocidal acts in Gaza.
Rasool returned to his post as South Africa’s ambassador to the US in January.
He previously served in the role from 2010 to 2015, during the presidency of Barack Obama.
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