Snubbed or silent? Ramaphosa defends Jonas amid Trump ‘cold shoulder’ drama – report

Mcebisi Jonas

Cape Town – Despite concerns that special envoy Mcebisi Jonas has been snubbed by the Trump administration, President Cyril Ramaphosa remains confident in his performance, a report said on Sunday.

Jonas was appointed in April to strengthen US – South Africa relations, but his past remarks labelling Trump as a “racist and narcissist” resurfaced, raising questions about the appointment.

According to The Citizen, reports suggest Jonas has had limited access to US officials and was notably absent from Ramaphosa’s May visit to the White House, sparking speculation about visa issues — which the Presidency denied.

While Jonas was not in the delegation, the Presidency said he contributed to preparatory work for the meeting.

“Mr. Jonas contributed to preparatory engagements ahead of the meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and President Donald Trump, including consultations abroad. His absence from Washington, at his own request, has no bearing on the President’s official programme,” spokesperson for the presidency, Vincent Magwenya, said at the time.

Calls have mounted for Ramaphosa to appoint a permanent ambassador, especially following Trump’s decision to impose 30% import tariffs on South African goods, a move Ramaphosa has criticised, City Press reported. 

“Government has been without authoritative representation in the US since March, even though America is SA’s second-largest trading partner,” a source said, as per the report.

The report said that the Presidency has declined to reveal Jonas’s achievements, saying envoy work is confidential and solely supports the president.

“The work of envoys is not a public affair, they are not ministers or publicly elected officers. His work and how he carries it out is not a matter of collective responsibility with anyone. It’s solely to support the president,” said Magwenya.

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