President Cyril Ramaphosa is said to be inundated with messages from people volunteering to be posted in Washington following Ebrahim Rasool's expulsion. While he won't appoint anyone yet, he is eager to reset the relationship between the US and South Africa, particularly in trade.

The formal process to replace South Africa's ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, has yet to commence as President Cyril Ramaphosa intends to "carefully apply his mind" given the strained diplomatic relations with Washington.

This is according to Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, who briefed members of the media on Thursday, 20 March 2025, regarding the president's programme and recent political developments.

"The president is not going to rush the process. He is applying his mind; in fact, the president appreciates the numerous messages that he has received. He has been inundated by messages from people volunteering themselves to be posted in Washington and people making suggestions of individuals to be considered for Washington. However, the president is going to take his time in considering his options with regard to this appointment."

Magwenya said that the absence of an ambassador in Washington did not mean that there would be no engagements with US President Donald Trump's administration on various levels. This is especially since relations between the two countries have been strained over issues including the Expropriation Act and South Africa's legal actions against Israel.

Asked about Ramaphosa's posture amid the rising tensions, Magwenya said Ramaphosa was keen to resolve the...