Appointment of New Ambassador
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Roelf Meyer, a politician who served in the final government of the apartheid era, as the country's new ambassador to the United States, according to an official statement from the president's office.
The position of South Africa's top envoy in the US had been vacant since the expulsion of Ebrahim Rasool last year. Rasool was expelled after he accused then-US President Donald Trump of attempting to "project white victimhood as a dog whistle," which exacerbated already strained diplomatic relations between the two countries. Relations had deteriorated further following Trump's return to office last year.
Confirmation and Immediate Effect
Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for President Ramaphosa, confirmed Meyer's appointment to the BBC, stating that the appointment would be effective immediately.
"I can confirm that President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Meyer as South Africa's ambassador to the US," he said.
Roelf Meyer's Background and Role in Ending Apartheid
Roelf Meyer, aged 78, was a key figure in the negotiations that led to the end of apartheid, the system of institutionalized racial segregation and white-minority rule in South Africa during the 1990s. He served as one of the chief mediators alongside Cyril Ramaphosa during these historic talks.
Meyer was the chief representative of the National Party, the political party that had introduced apartheid policies, while Ramaphosa represented the African National Congress (ANC), led by Nelson Mandela. During this period, the two men developed a personal friendship, which included shared activities such as fishing trips.
Continued Political Involvement
In 2022, Meyer was among 32 prominent South Africans selected by President Ramaphosa to participate in the national dialogue process, an initiative aimed at addressing the country's various socio-political challenges.
During the final apartheid government, Meyer served as the constitutional affairs minister. Following the establishment of the government of national unity in 1994, when Nelson Mandela became president, Meyer continued to serve in government. He left the government two years later and co-founded the United Democratic Movement. Subsequently, he became a member of the ANC.
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