Former South African Ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool arrived in Cape Town on Sunday. Picture:Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Media
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Media
Former South African Ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, who was considered a “persona non grata”, has said he had no regrets about the activities that ultimately led to his expulsion.
Rasool underlined the need to rebuild and reset South Africa's relationship with the United States for the future despite this treatment.
As he looked back on his tenure, Rasool said that although he was unable to enter the White House, his expulsion was a glaring sign that his message had received the attention of the US government's highest authorities.
“This is what we have been trying to do, and we must wish that President Cyril Ramaphosa would be able to find someone who can mend that relationship without sacrificing our values,” Rasool said.
Speaking at the Cape Town International Airport on Sunday, Rasool expressed his gratitude to the South African people.
He noted that it would have been ideal to return with a report detailing their success in dispelling the false narrative of a "white genocide" in South Africa. Unfortunately, he admitted that this goal had not been realised.
“We would have preferred to come here and say we have won for you trade deals but we would not do so by allowing the US to choose who must be our friends and who must be our enemies,” he said.
Having returned to South Africa after his expulsion, Rasool’s replacement as Ambassador has yet to be announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, although he indicated that this decision would not be made hastily.
Rasool was declared persona non grata by the US government after making remarks during a webinar in which he associated President Donald Trump with white supremacy.
But he maintained that his remarks were not directed at Trump.
“I want to say that South Africa is not a military superpower. South Africa is not an economic superpower, but South Africa has the ability again to become a moral superpower...
“Foremost amongst that is truth. We can modulate our truth. We can have a megaphone that is loud, or we can have a megaphone that is soft, but we will never stop speaking the truth. So, we are not here to throw away our interests with the US,” he said.
Meanwhile, the ANC and its allies have supported and welcomed Rasool in the country.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
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