South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Roelf Meyer, a former apartheid-era politician, as the country's new ambassador to the United States. The appointment comes after a year-long vacancy following the expulsion of the previous envoy, Ebrahim Rasool, who accused former President Donald Trump of promoting "white victimhood."
Meyer, 78, played a pivotal role alongside Ramaphosa in negotiating the end of white-minority rule in the 1990s. Representing the National Party—which instituted apartheid—he worked with Ramaphosa, then representing Nelson Mandela's African National Congress (ANC), to dismantle the racist system. Their collaboration, which included a memorable fishing trip, evolved into a lifelong friendship.
"I can confirm that President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Meyer as South Africa's ambassador to the US," said presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, noting the appointment is effective immediately.
Meyer served as constitutional affairs minister in the final apartheid government and later joined the post-apartheid unity government. After leaving politics in 1996, he co-founded the United Democratic Movement and eventually joined the ANC. His reformist stance during negotiations earned him criticism from right-wing Afrikaners, who viewed him as a traitor.
The appointment has sparked mixed reactions domestically. While ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula welcomed the move, Julius Malema's Economic Freedom Fighters party called it "politically tone deaf." Right-wing groups AfriForum and Solidarity Movement expressed disappointment, with AfriForum leader Kallie Kriel labeling Meyer an "ANC cadre" who shifts positions for personal gain.
Meyer himself previously expressed reservations about taking on such a demanding role at his age, stating, "I don't think somebody of my age should take on that responsibility... [It] demands everyday, hard work in [Washington] DC... [and] youthful energy."
Ramaphosa defended the choice, asserting Meyer is "well attuned with the policies of this country" and will "represent South Africa very well." The appointment occurs amid strained US-South Africa relations, exacerbated by Trump's unfounded claims of genocide against Afrikaners—which Ramaphosa has called "completely false"—and subsequent aid cuts to the country.