South Africa’s special envoy to the US, Mcebisi Jonas, has not set foot in the United States

Minister Ronald Lamola has confirmed that South Africa’s special envoy to the US, Mcebisi Jonas, has not set foot in the United States in an official capacity.

In April 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas as special envoy to the United States after Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was booted out of the country.

Rasool was declared persona non grata and expelled from the United States in March 2025 after his criticism towards the US President Donald Trump and the country’s foreign policies.

To mend relations between South Africa and the United States, Ramaphosa appointed Jonas to advance the country’s diplomatic, trade and bilateral priorities.

“He will lead negotiations, foster strategic partnerships and engage with U.S. government officials and private-sector leaders to promote our nation’s interests,” Ramaphosa said.

However, shortly after his appointment, a video surfaced where Jonas called Trump “a racist, homophobic and narcissistic right-winger”.

Last month, Emma Louise Powell, DA Spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation, revealed that Jonas was not welcome in Washington.

She said the United States had denied Mcebisi Jonas a diplomatic visa in May 2025 and had formally rejected Jonas’s credentials.

She added that Washington has informed President Ramaphosa that Jonas would not be recognised as South Africa’s official interlocutor.

“The Ramaphosa administration was explicitly advised on multiple occasions that Jonas was not acceptable to Washington and was urged to appoint an alternative envoy,” she said.

Ramaphosa hit back, accusing the DA and Powell of disinformation on matters of international relations and diplomacy.

It added that Special Envoys do not present diplomatic credentials to host countries in the way designated Heads of Mission or other diplomats are.

This debacle came at a time when South Africa faced 30% tariffs on imports into the United States, which would significantly hurt the economy.

South Africa subsequently failed to reach a negotiated solution with the United States, and it is now facing 30% tariffs from 7 August 2025.

Many people blame the South African government for this failure, as it reportedly did not have a significant, high-level delegation in the United States for negotiations.

Mcebisi Jonas has not set foot in the United States

International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Minister, Ronald Lamola, has confirmed that Jonas has not set foot in the United States in an official capacity.

Responding to a parliamentary question asked by Powell, the department said Jonas has yet to travel to the United States for official business.

“The Special Envoy has yet to travel to the US for official business,” he said. “However, it must be noted that the sensitive and confidential work of the Special Envoys is never publicised.”

The confirmation from Lamola underlines South Africa’s strained and questionable approach to dealing with the United States.

The questionable strategy of having no official representation in the United States likely contributed to the failed negotiations.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTIC) is now trying to reach a negotiated agreement with the United States at the last minute. However, it has not achieved much to date.

The DTIC and DIRCO have outlined only vague remedies for businesses impacted by the move, promising action and relief sometime in the coming months.

The government insists that negotiations are continuing and has even stated that a new ambassador to the United States will be appointed soon.

“For months, the public was led to believe that our government was actively repairing relations with our most important trade partner via Ramaphosa’s special envoy,” Powell said.

“However, Minister Lamola has now confirmed to Parliament that Jonas did not once travel to the United States.”

“All the while, the Presidency allowed that fiction to flourish, while rejecting every offer of help from those with longstanding ties in Washington out of sheer arrogance, pride, and prejudice.”

She said South Africans have every right to be as angry as they are. “Wishing DTIC all the best with their emergency tariff ‘call centre’. The emperor has no clothes.”