The expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, raises urgent questions regarding the future of South Africa’s eligibility under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). This act, in place for nearly 25 years, provides eligible African nations with duty-free access to the US market for select goods. With a review of South Africa’s AGOA status approaching later this year, the implications of this recent development could be dire for a nation already struggling with a health crisis after the withdrawal of crucial US funding for HIV-related programmes.
International relations expert Siseko Maposa elucidates the gravity of the situation, stating, “While it is uncertain whether this move signals that the US is deeply contemplating a complete severance of relations with South Africa, President Ramaphosa’s interest in transactional diplomacy with the US is evident.” The political landscape suggests that the US is leveraging potential sanctions and the risk of expulsion from AGOA to pressure South Africa into reconsidering its global political stance, especially concerning diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which Washington has deemed “Anti-American.”
Maposa posits that South Africa’s counter-strategy may involve advocating for its rich mineral resources—iron ore and steel, which constituted approximately 68% of the nation’s US-bound exports between January 2024-2025, according to the South African Revenue Service (SARS). Furthermore, South Africa’s role as a pivotal gateway economy within Africa could enhance its negotiating leverage, potentially shaping the evolution of South Africa-US relations.
The controversy surrounding Rasool’s expulsion follows incendiary remarks made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who labelled him “a race-baiting politician” hostile to the United States and its presidency. Rasool made his comments during a recent webinar hosted by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA), where he discussed the implications of populism and demographic shifts in US politics, characterising the Trump administration as engaged in a supremacy-driven campaign against incumbency at home and abroad.
Rasool’s ousting reflects a broader pattern of political contention, particularly from the Trump administration, which has withdrawn funding from vital programmes in South Africa, trumpeting unverified claims of land confiscation from minority groups. In a move that further strained relations, the administration welcomed Afrikaner farmers seeking refuge in the US, reiterating allegations of land theft against the South African government.
In light of these developments, the South African Department of International Relations has been in close contact with Rasool, who now faces a daunting deadline to leave the US by March 21. “Ambassador Rasool was on the verge of an engagement with strategic officials in the White House. This regrettable development has scuttled significant progress,” expressed Dirco spokesperson Chrispin Phiri.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have also weighed in on the escalating tensions between the two nations, asserting that the Trump administration’s antagonistic stance towards South Africa is unsurprising. They argue that Trump is influenced by white South Africans who fled during the era of anti-apartheid activism, suggesting they have orchestrated a campaign to undermine South Africa’s socio-political reforms, including efforts to implement the Expropriation Bill and the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill.
The EFF’s comments encapsulate a larger sentiment that blames the resurgence of right-wing ideologies in the US for emboldening similar movements in South Africa. They echo Rasool’s characterisation of Trump as a “grand wizard” of global white supremacy, asserting that the hostility originating from the US threatens South Africa’s democratic progress.