Mcebisi Jonas was appointed as a special envoy to the US in April.
Thulani Mbele/Gallo Images
The DA claims the United States denied President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special envoy,Mcebisi Jonas,a diplomatic visa in May this year.The party said that Ramaphosa had been fully aware for months that Jonas was not welcome in Washington.In April,Ramaphosa appointed Jonas as a special envoy to the US.The DA’s spokesperson on international relations,Emma Powell,claims the United States denied President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special envoy,a diplomatic visa in May this year.
In a statement on Tuesday,Powell said that Ramaphosa had been fully aware for months that Jonas was not welcome in Washington.
“The US government has formally rejected Jonas’ credentials and has informed the Presidency that he would not be recognised as South Africa’s official interlocutor. The Ramaphosa administration was explicitly advised on multiple occasions that Jonas was not acceptable to Washington and was urged to appoint an alternative envoy,” Powell said.
In April,Ramaphosa appointed Jonas as a special envoy to the US.
ADVERTISEMENT
READ | Trump gives Jonas the cold shoulder,but Ramaphosa is ‘satisfied’ with his special envoy
At the time,Ramaphosa said Jonas would lead negotiations,foster strategic partnerships,and engage with US government officials and private-sector leaders to advance South Africa’s diplomatic,trade,and bilateral interests.
Despite clear and repeated communications,Powell said the Presidency continued to mislead the public by insisting that Jonas remained the president’s special envoy to North America.
“In a televised SABC interview in June,despite being fully aware that Jonas had been denied a diplomatic visa by the US and would not be formally received,President Ramaphosa doubled down on national TV,declaring: ‘Mcebisi Jonas is still my North American envoy and has done good work.’
ADVERTISEMENT
“This week,when confronted with the DA’s announcement that it would submit a Promotion of Access to Information request detailing Jonas’ official engagements over the past 90 days,instead of coming clean with the truth,Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya lashed out on social media,accusing the DA of ‘encroaching’ on the president’s powers,” said Powell.
The USA denied Jonas a diplomatic visa and rejected his credentials. The Presidency owes South Africa an explanation as to why it doubled down on the appointment of a Special Envoy who was officially rejected by the recipient government.https://t.co/PjLgQkgE8G
— Emma Louise Powell MP (@powellemmaloui1) July 15,2025
Powell said the Presidency owed South Africans a full and honest explanation of how it can justify having doubled down on the appointment of a rapporteur whose credentials have been officially rejected by the host government.
“In the wake of Ambassador (Ebrahim) Rasool’s disgraced expulsion from the United States,it has become undeniable that the president is now more concerned with saving face than with safeguarding the livelihoods of South African businesses and workers who will ultimately pay the price for his inaction.
“Now that the nation is aware that there is in fact no special representative advocating for South Africa in Washington on behalf of the Presidency,it is clear that our economy may in the coming weeks lose billions of rands in exports when liberation day tariffs come into effect,” she said.
Powell said they would write to the National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza requesting an urgent parliamentary briefing from the Presidency on the failed Jonas appointment.
“The DA will take all necessary steps to demand the immediate appointment of a credible envoy,capable of repairing the immense damage that has now been done,” she said.
United News - unews.co.za