South Africa looks set to appoint Alistair Ruiters, President Cyril Ramaphosa's special advisor on investment promotion, as the nation's next ambassador to the United States, filling a post that has been vacant since March.
The seat has been empty since Ebrahim Rasool was recalled after being declared persona non grata by the US government following accusations he made against President Donald Trump. Rasool has since returned to South Africa, leaving the role open amid a tense bilateral relationship.
Ruiters, who took up his current advisory role in April, brings decades of experience from both the public and private sectors. His resume includes serving as director general of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition from 2000 to 2005, as well as time as a competition commissioner. He has also led the National Empowerment Fund and the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor project, and in 2009 he joined mining group Afarak as CEO.