Latest news with #EbrahimRasool
CNN
24-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Are the Changes Made After the Murder of George Floyd Coming Undone? - First Of All with Victor Blackwell - Podcast on CNN Audio
5 years after the murder of George Floyd, changes made in an effort to make police departments more accountable are being reversed by the Trump administration. Victor speaks with Michael Harrison, an independent law enforcement investigator who has been following police reforms in Minneapolis and cities across the country. After the Mayor of Chicago touted the diverse staff in his office, the Justice Department announced that they are opening an investigation into possible hiring discrimination. Mayor Brandon Johnson joins Victor to react. International students at Harvard are wrestling with their academic futures after a Trump administration threat to ban their enrollment. One of them is co-president of Harvard's undergraduate student body. Abdullah Shahid Sial got the news while attending a conference in Japan and shares his concerns with Victor. Plus, there is no evidence of a "White genocide" in South Africa. Yet President Trump still confronted the country's leader, Cyril Ramaphosa, with the claim during their Oval Office meeting this week. South Africa's ambassador to the U.S. was recently expelled after calling out Trump, and Ebrahim Rasool joins Victor to react. And in this week's edition of 'Art is Life,' Minneapolis poet laureate Junauda Petrus shares a new poem reflecting on the 5th Anniversary of George Floyd's murder. She shares with Victor what inspired "Cigarettes and Fireflies", which was commissioned by The Minnesota Star Tribune.
News24
20-05-2025
- Politics
- News24
Johann Rupert in Washington for Ramaphosa-Trump meeting, annoyed by ‘Afrikaner refugees'
Johann Rupert, South Africa's richest man, is in Washington DC and could be part of President Cyril Ramaphosa's delegation to meet US President Donald Trump on Wednesday. News24 has learned from three sources with knowledge of the South African delegation that Rupert was instrumental in securing the meeting between Ramaphosa and Trump. Central to his role was his apparent frustration with Trump over his typecasting of Afrikaners as 'refugees' and victims of a genocide. Rupert is Afrikaans and heavily invested in farming in South Africa. Like Trump, Rupert is a keen golfer and facilitated a call between Trump and Ramaphosa after Trump's election in November. Ramaphosa will meet Trump at noon on Wednesday after the US president issued an executive order against South Africa on 7 February, cutting all funding to the country. This has resulted in deep cuts to funding HIV and TB research and medicine. Trump accused South Africa of grabbing the land of white farmers and siding with the United States' enemies, namely Iran and Hamas. Former ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was declared persona non grata and had to leave Washington DC. The Daily Maverick first published reports of Rupert's role in the meeting on Tuesday, quoting an unnamed source on Capitol Hill who said: 'Rupert is a true patriot. There were others like the Big Easy (Ernie Els), but Rupert repeatedly told him [Trump] to stop the nonsense [about 'Afrikaner refugees'] and talk to Ramaphosa.' According to News24's sources, it was still unclear whether Rupert would form part of Wednesday's delegation, and the names of the delegation to meet Trump were still being negotiated. Ramaphosa was accompanied by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola, Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Nthavheni, as well as and his special envoy to the US, Mcebisi Jonas.
The Herald
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
Ramaphosa will not be bullied in Trump talks — Ntshavheni
Reports from the US press have also indicated the US government will not participate in the G20 programme this year in protest against South Africa. Ntshavheni said the decision by the US to confer refugee status to a group of Afrikaner South Africans is misinformed, as they do not fit the definition of refugees as set out in the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 protocol. 'Cabinet further reiterated that allegations of discrimination are unfounded and do not meet the threshold of persecution required under domestic and international refugee law. Moreover, SAPS statistics on farm-related crimes do not support allegations of violent crime or genocide targeted at farmers or any race group. Cabinet rejects the narrative by the government of the US and remains open to constructive engagement to share a better and common understanding over these matters,' she said. Ramaphosa has announced former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas as his envoy to the US. This came after South Africa's ambassador to the US Ebrahim Rasool was declared persona non grata and kicked out of the US after he criticised Trump. Tensions between the two governments have reached unprecedented levels since Trump's inauguration, with his cabinet snubbing G20 ministerial meetings.
Business Insider
13-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
South Africa to appoint new US ambassador after diplomatic rift
South Africa is set to appoint a new ambassador to the US following the expulsion of former envoy Ebrahim Rasool in March 2025. International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has confirmed that President Cyril Ramaphosa will name a successor once Special Envoy Mcebisi Jonas lays the groundwork for restoring bilateral ties. South Africa will appoint a new US ambassador after the 2025 expulsion of former envoy Ebrahim Rasool. Rasool's expulsion, due to criticisms of Trump administration policies, strained US-South Africa relations. The South African government aims to strengthen bilateral relations with focus on mutual interests and cooperation. Rasool was declared persona non grata by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for criticising the Trump administration's policies. The removal marks a major setback in US-South African relations, which have been strained over issues including land reform and South Africa's lawsuits against Israel at the International Court of Justice. In response, President Ramaphosa appointed Jonas, a former Deputy Finance Minister, as Special Representative to the United States effective April 14, 2025. Jonas is tasked with working with U.S. officials and stakeholders to improve diplomatic and trade relations. Minister Lamola stressed that Jonas' role is to 'lay the foundations that will help us navigate uncharted waters' and that the appointment of a new representative will take place in due course.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Refugee status for white South Africans: First group flying to US
The first set of 49 white South Africans to be granted refugee status by President Donald Trump's administration are on their way to the Sunday they boarded a flight from Johannesburg which is due to land in Washington DC later on comes after a weekend of speculation about when the Afrikaners would leave for America, amid criticism from the South African government who described the US resettlement scheme as "politically motivated".Relations between South Africa and the US have been tense for months, after an executive order in February in which President Trump stated that Afrikaners were victims of "racial discrimination". The US has criticised domestic South African policy, accusing the government of seizing land from white farmers without any compensation - something which the southern African nation says has not tensions have been tense for months as President Trump tasked his administration with formulating plans to potentially resettle Afrikaners in the US. In March, South Africa's ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, was expelled after accusing President Trump of using "white victimhood as a dog whistle", leading to the US accusing Mr Rasool of "race-baiting".The current group of refugees comprises 49 people, who are expected to land in Washington DC later on Monday, before continuing to Trump's openness to accepting Afrikaner refugees comes as the US has engaged in a wider crackdown on migrants and asylum seekers from other countries. More BBC stories about South Africa: Almost 70,000 South Africans interested in US asylumWhat's really driving Trump's fury with South Africa?Is it checkmate for South Africa after Trump threats? Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
