South Africa has expressed regret over the United States’ decision to expel its ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, urging diplomatic restraint between the two nations.
In a statement on Saturday, March 15, 2025, the office of President Cyril Ramaphosa said it had “noted the regrettable expulsion” and called on all parties to maintain established diplomatic decorum.
Despite the setback, South Africa reaffirmed its commitment to fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with the US.
The move follows an announcement by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday that Rasool was no longer welcome in Washington.
Rubio described the ambassador as a “race-baiting politician” who holds hostile views toward President Donald Trump.
The expulsion comes over growing tensions between Washington and Pretoria.
Last month, Trump froze US aid to South Africa, alleging that a local law allowed the seizure of land from white farmers.
He reignited the controversy last week by inviting South African farmers to settle in the US, claiming the government was “confiscating” their land.
Rasool, a former anti-apartheid activist, has yet to publicly comment on his removal.
