In a dramatic shift that could reshape South Africa's diplomatic posture with Washington, President Cyril Ramaphosa is reportedly considering appointing a white Afrikaner as the country's next ambassador to the United States.
The move comes as relations between the two nations spiral over a storm of political tension, land reform controversy, and race-driven rhetoric from Washington.
According to reports in the Sunday Times , the president and newly appointed International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola are looking to tap a high-profile Afrikaner to fill the vacancy left by Ebrahim Rasool, who was expelled from the United States following a controversial speech targeting former President Donald Trump .
Rasool, a seasoned ANC veteran and former Western Cape premier, found himself persona non grata after lambasting Trump as the leader of a 'global white supremacist movement.' Washington reacted swiftly, and Rasool was shown the diplomatic door.
Now, Ramaphosa is looking to steady the rocky waters by turning to figures once deeply embedded in the country's apartheid-era establishment - with an eye to both symbolism and strategy.