In brief
Amid rising diplomatic tensions, South Africa's opposition parties urge President Cyril Ramaphosa not to let the US bully the nation following the expulsion of Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool. The US has accused Rasool of anti-American sentiment, spurring criticism of its influence in South Africa.
Article text:South Africa's political landscape is heating up as opposition parties rally against what they see as US bullying following the expulsion of Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool. The controversial move, which gave Rasool a mere 72 hours to leave the US, was supported by US State Secretary Marco Rubio, who labelled him a "race-baiting politician who hates America".This diplomatic spat underscores a deteriorating relationship that has worsened since President Donald Trump took office. Ronald Lamola, the South African Minister of International Relations, emphasized the importance of face-to-face dialogues instead of “Twitter diplomacy” for resolving such issues.The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led by Julius Malema, condemned the US's actions, insisting that President Cyril Ramaphosa should stand firm against what they termed bullying by "the orange clown occupying the White House". The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) echoed these sentiments, asserting South Africa's right to govern free from external influence and asserting that the decision was an affront to national sovereignty.Trump’s administration has previously criticized South Africa regarding land reform policies and accused the government of discriminating against the white Afrikaner minority, claims South Africa vehemently denies. In the interim, Rasool, who had two terms as ambassador during Barack Obama’s presidency, is reportedly finding challenges in engaging with the Trump administration due to his previous support of pro-Palestine initiatives.The Democratic Alliance (DA), a partner in South Africa’s governing coalition, is questioning the African National Congress (ANC)'s dominance over foreign policy decisions. They argue it is unfair for a party comprising only 39% of the coalition to have sole authority over diplomatic appointments, suggesting a unified delegation visit to the US to discuss and de-escalate tensions.
