Despite President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call for restraint, Cosatu and the South African Communist Party (SACP) refuse to back down from Sunday’s rally to welcome back expelled former US ambassador Ebrahim Rasool.
Ramaphosa had urged political allies to avoid actions that could further inflame tensions with the US. However, Cosatu and the SACP have doubled down, asserting their right to celebrate Rasool’s return and calling out US interference in South Africa’s sovereignty.
– Advertisement –
ANC Forced to Backtrack
The ANC Western Cape initially planned to support the rally but has since toned down its involvement following Ramaphosa’s intervention. However, ANC provincial spokesperson Khaled Sayed denied that the party had succumbed to pressure.
“We are still attending and supporting the homecoming reception which is organised by our own regional structure,” he insisted.
SACP: ‘We Won’t Be Bullied by Imperialists’
SACP Western Cape provincial secretary Benson Ngqentsu dismissed any suggestion of cancelling the rally, framing Rasool’s expulsion as part of a larger global struggle.
“We are joining the homecoming of Comrade Rasool to assert our national sovereignty. We deployed Rasool to the US to advance our diplomatic relations, not to be a puppet of right-wing authoritarian imperialists,” Ngqentsu declared.
Meanwhile, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has begun identifying Rasool’s replacement, with Ramaphosa set to make the final decision.
– Advertisement –
Experts say the next ambassador must navigate a hostile US administration, as Trump’s return to power signals a more aggressive foreign policy toward South Africa.
Professor Ahmed Haroon Jazbhay warns that South Africa will struggle to find a candidate who satisfies the US’s expectations.
“No matter who we send as Rasool’s replacement, it will not satisfy the white supremacist leanings of a country desperate to cling to its declining global hegemony,” he said.
Jazbhay added that this diplomatic standoff should be a wake-up call for South Africa to reduce its reliance on the US and shift toward a more independent foreign policy.
Sandton Drive Name Change Sparks New Diplomatic Headache
Compounding tensions with the US is the controversial renaming of Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive, named after the Palestinian freedom fighter. The US Consulate is based on Sandton Drive, and the renaming has been seen as a provocative move amid escalating global tensions over Israel-Palestine relations.
Ramaphosa’s office confirmed that talks are underway with the City of Johannesburg to find a solution that won’t worsen diplomatic relations with the US.
The ANC Veterans League has taken a hard stance, warning that South Africa is under threat from right-wing reactionaries both internationally and domestically.
“As the ANC, we must oppose, call out, and build alliances against the rising reactionary imperialist moves of Trump and his allies,” the league declared.
Speaking in Kimberley on Human Rights Day, former International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor urged South Africans to defend their sovereignty.
“We will set out our process of transformation on our own terms and will not be directed by foreign powers,” she said.
With Rasool’s welcome rally set to proceed, tensions between South Africa and the US continue to escalate. How Ramaphosa balances diplomacy and internal party pressures in the coming weeks could determine whether this crisis spirals into a full-blown diplomatic showdown.
For SA Celebrity News Follow SurgeZirc SA on Facebook, X and Instagram
– Advertisement –
