Al-Qalam 
By Ebrahim Rasool (Former Ambassador to the USA)
The fact that the United States Ambassador -designate to South Africa, Lee Brent Bozell III, was sworn in in the USA, may indicate that his appointment to, and acceptance by, South Africa as the US Ambassador is now a foregone conclusion. Would he have taken the oath of office if there was no prior agrément by South Africa?
Has South Africa decided to ignore his odious positions in the past on South Africa’s liberation struggle, outrightly labeling it as terrorism? Maybe he changed. Did South Africa decide to ignore his remarks in the Senate when interviewed for the job? He doubled down on all the positions espoused by President Trump and his administration: BEE is racist; a white genocide is taking place; South Africa must be punished for charging Israel with genocide; and trying to prescribe South Africa’s foreign relationships, etc.
In weighing up Bozell’s historical position on South Africa’s struggle, and what he purports his mission in South Africa to be, President Ramaphosa may well find himself in a bind. Can he afford to reject Bozell’s credentials and endanger further the relationship with the Trump administration? Should he accept Bozell’s ambassadorship and hope Bozell can be bracketed from overreach? Or does he hope that reality in South Africa, such as no evidence of a white genocide, will result in honest and sober reports that will change Washington’s stance and reverse the punitive measures?
There is indeed a school of orthodox diplomacy in South Africa that believes better diplomacy will produce better results. If this is so, then the recipe should be shared with those who may fear the Madura treatment to avert, in their countries, the regime change formula evident in Venezuela. They should also share it with Greenland, who never once called Trump a bad name, but is threatened with a takeover. They should also share it with the 8 countries that voice concern over Greenland, who, at worst, were obsequious in Trump’s presence – and now have additional tariffs imposed.
Of course, the appointment or designation of Bozell coincides neatly with the passing of the African Growth and Opportunities Act, AGOA, by the U.S. House of Representatives. This has obviously compromised President Ramaposa’s hand, because were he to voice the popular sentiment of rejecting Bozell, does he endanger South Africa in the further passage of AGOA to the senate, and then to Trump himself? This is a risk for South Africa. South Africa could reject Bozell, and Trump could remove South Africa from AGOA. Or they could accept Bozell, and Trump could still remove South Africa from AGOA.
The problem is that trying to anticipate Trump is like trying to control the external environment to limit the damage of an abusive partner. You could look nice, cook nice, talk nice, play nice. But the trigger is not in the external environment. It’s in the character of the bully. Changing the environment is like self-blame. Taking responsibility for the behavior and abuse of the bully.
Our memories are short. Before any word of critique or criticism of Trump was uttered by any official of South Africa, South Africa was already under attack and subjected to punishment, either collectively with the world, or individually as South Africa. On Trump’s first evening in power, we lost all the HIV funds, as well as those flowing through USAID, the World Health Organization, etc. After Agri-Forum’s visit in February, the remaining aid was lost, including those for the just energy transition, ostensibly because of “bad things happening in South Africa.”By the so-called Trump Liberation Day, we had 30% tariffs imposed despite an SA strategy of appeasement with Trump that included the visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa to the White House. The appeasement from South Africa continued, despite the boycott of South Africa’s G20, which started early 2025 with Rubio and Bessent from G20 meetings. It culminated with Trump’s boycott and resulted in South Africa’s disinvitation to the USA G20 in 2026.
By September, AGOA itself was in a tenuous situation because supply lines, employment levels, freight logistics, and order books required predictability long before the decision as to whether AGOA would be renewed. Hopefully, some faith can be maintained as to whether AGOA’s passage will be soon and successful. Does this need more appeasement?
For a moment in November 2025, the G20 saw President Ramaposa shift strategy from appeasement to what I call contingency. He took out insurance policies to mitigate the USA boycott. South Africa raised finance from other sources for health and climate investments. It strengthened relations with its BRICS, Global South, and EU partners. It used the US absence to push policies that may have been more cautiously put with the USA present, and it stung the US, especially Trump. He stated his anxiety about de-dollarisation, threatened greater tariffs against BRICS, and is now acting recklessly with NATO and the EU.
So how does a strategy of contingency play out with the appointment of Lee Brent Bozell III, as ambassador to South Africa? I would suggest that President Ramaphosa says to President Trump: I will credential your ambassador if you credential mine. He should then put forward a name, whether Mcebisi Jonas, Alastair Ruiters, or whoever. Put the ball in Trump’s court, and let him jeopardize the appointment of his own ambassador-designate.
*Ebrahim Rasool is the former ambassador to the USA
