Beside a large group of supporters that gathered at the Cape Town International airport on Sunday morning to welcome expelled South African Ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, he has received praise on social media for what they call “bravery” for his stance against the Donald Trump Administration.
Rasool and his wife Rosieda received a hero’s welcome by a significant number of ANC members and their tripartite partners COSATU and SACP, including some Cape Town residents who pledged their support for him.
Some held posters declaring their support for Rasool, while condemning Trump.
SACP Western Cape Secretary, Benson Ngqentsu criticised Trump for cutting the PEPFAR aid to South Africa, describing the move as unfair, as the country did not expel Rasool’s former counterpart Reuben Brigety for the assertions he made when he alleged that Pretoria supplied arms to Russia, in their conflict against Ukraine.
On social media Rasool was commended for looking after the country’s interests even from abroad.
“I’m not even from South Africa but Ibrahim Rasool is one of the few African diplomats you can rely on with impeccable wealth of experience. It’s a shame America you treated this way. I salute you,” commented @Seyisanni, attaching the Nigerian flag.
@Naseema wrote “This is how we welcome a HERO. Welcome home Ebrahim Rasool! Thank you for your excellent service to SA in the short stint in the US. We didn’t fight apartheid just to bow down to white racist supremacists! Well done.”
Others called for his deployment to another country.
“Ibrahim Rasool will go down in history as one of the few Ambassadors to confront racism even if it’s done by the most powerful president on earth. He deserves this hero’s welcome. Government must allocate him to another country now,” wrote @Bennetfor.
