MTN chairman Mcebisi Jonas.
MTN chairman Mcebisi Jonas, who was appointed by president Cyril Ramaphosa in April as South Africa’s special envoy to the US, has become the centre of a political storm within the Government of National Unity (GNU).
Tensions escalated after the Democratic Alliance (DA) accused Ramaphosa of continuing to support Jonas in the envoy role, despite allegedly being aware that the US had refused to recognise him as South Africa’s official representative in Washington DC.
According to the DA, the US government denied Jonas a diplomatic visa in May, formally rejected his credentials, and repeatedly advised the Presidency to appoint someone else into the role.
The DA claims Ramaphosa ignored these warnings and misled the public by maintaining that Jonas remained his envoy, responsible for overseeing key diplomatic and trade engagements with the US.
“Despite these clear and repeated communications, the Presidency continued to mislead the public by insisting that Jonas remained the president’s special envoy to North America,” said DA MP Emma Louise Powell, adding that the DA has filed a formal Promotion of Access to Information Act request to uncover Jonas’s official activities over the past 90 days.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya responded sharply to the DA’s claims, accusing the party of overreaching and attempting to interfere with the president’s prerogatives.
The Presidency issued a statement condemning what it called “disinformation,” and urged the public not to accept the DA’s version of events as fact.
“The DA’s latest effort to embarrass president Cyril Ramaphosa’s special envoy to North America, Mr Jonas Mcebisi, involves claims – in the DA’s framing – that the United States has rejected Mr Jonas’s ‘credential’ and that Mr Jonas is therefore unable to perform his role as special envoy,” the Presidency said.
It further explained that special envoys are not subject to the same diplomatic protocols as ambassadors and do not require formal accreditation. Their work, it said, is conducted in close coordination with line departments and does not necessitate public reporting of activities.
The Presidency stressed that Jonas has been instrumental in supporting the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation in shaping trade proposals and restoring diplomatic relations with the US.
It added that Ramaphosa himself had recently engaged in direct talks with US president Donald Trump, including a working visit to Washington in May 2025, and that there had been no immediate need for Jonas to travel to the US during that period.
The Presidency also criticised what it described as the DA’s “persistent campaign” to undermine national interests and discredit South Africa’s diplomatic engagements.
“This campaign has its origins in a Democratic Alliance visit to the United States earlier this year, to advance an ideological agenda rather than our national interest,” it said.
According to the Presidency, the DA’s actions are part of a broader effort to politicise international relations, allegedly in response to the removal of DA MP Andrew Whitfield from his role as Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition.
As the controversy continues to unfold, the matter has become a flashpoint in the GNU, highlighting tensions over South Africa’s foreign policy posture and the complex intersection between political appointments, diplomacy, and international recognition
