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Ramaphosa appoints apartheid-era minister as US Ambassador
3 hrs ago |
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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed veteran politician Roelf Meyer as the country's new ambassador to the United States, marking a significant diplomatic move amid strained relations between Pretoria and Washington.
The appointment was confirmed on Tuesday by presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, who said Meyer would take up the post in Washington.
Meyer, a former member of the National Party which governed during apartheid, later became a key figure in South Africa's transition to democracy. He served in the government of national unity under Nelson Mandela following the end of white minority rule.
South Africa has not had an ambassador in Washington since the expulsion of Ebrahim Rasool in March 2025 after tensions with the administration of Donald Trump escalated.
Relations between the two countries have been increasingly strained during Trump's second term. The US president has made controversial claims about the alleged persecution of white Afrikaners and introduced a refugee programme for them—an initiative strongly criticised by the South African government as preferential treatment based on race.
Meyer, 78, is an Afrikaner who began his political career in 1979 under P. W. Botha, a central figure of apartheid-era governance. He later served as minister of defence and constitutional affairs under President F. W. de Klerk.
He rose to prominence as the National Party's chief negotiator during talks to end apartheid in the early 1990s, working alongside Ramaphosa, who represented the African National Congress. Their efforts were widely credited with helping to break deadlocks during the negotiations that led to South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994.
According to the Presidency, Ramaphosa regards Meyer as “a true citizen committed to a non-racial South Africa,” highlighting his role in the country's peaceful political transition.
Meyer had not immediately commented on his appointment at the time of publication.
The appointment was confirmed on Tuesday by presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, who said Meyer would take up the post in Washington.
Meyer, a former member of the National Party which governed during apartheid, later became a key figure in South Africa's transition to democracy. He served in the government of national unity under Nelson Mandela following the end of white minority rule.
South Africa has not had an ambassador in Washington since the expulsion of Ebrahim Rasool in March 2025 after tensions with the administration of Donald Trump escalated.
Relations between the two countries have been increasingly strained during Trump's second term. The US president has made controversial claims about the alleged persecution of white Afrikaners and introduced a refugee programme for them—an initiative strongly criticised by the South African government as preferential treatment based on race.
Meyer, 78, is an Afrikaner who began his political career in 1979 under P. W. Botha, a central figure of apartheid-era governance. He later served as minister of defence and constitutional affairs under President F. W. de Klerk.
He rose to prominence as the National Party's chief negotiator during talks to end apartheid in the early 1990s, working alongside Ramaphosa, who represented the African National Congress. Their efforts were widely credited with helping to break deadlocks during the negotiations that led to South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994.
According to the Presidency, Ramaphosa regards Meyer as “a true citizen committed to a non-racial South Africa,” highlighting his role in the country's peaceful political transition.
Meyer had not immediately commented on his appointment at the time of publication.
Source - Reuters
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