Latest news with #MapungubweInstituteforStrategicReflection
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rubio says South Africa must protect White farmers, US will offer admission to those facing violence
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said White South Africans facing threats of violence would be welcomed in the United States. Rubio's position comes amid tension between the South African government and the Trump administration over that country's land expropriation law and its anti-Israel stance. In a post on X, Rubio referred to the "Kill the Boer," an old anti-apartheid chant that critics say is a call to anti-White violence and has been used to refer to White farmers. Trump Freezes Aid To South Africa, Promotes Resettlement Of Refugees Facing Race Discrimination "South Africa's leaders and politicians must take action to protect Afrikaner and other disfavored minorities," Rubio wrote on Monday. "The United States is proud to offer those individuals who qualify for admission to our nation amid this continued horrible threat of violence." The Trump administration has pushed back against South Africa's expropriation law, as well as its stance against Israel. Read On The Fox News App The land expropriation law allows the government to make land seizures without compensation. In February, Trump issued an executive order penalizing South Africa. South African President Signs Controversial Land Seizure Bill, Eroding Private Property Rights "In shocking disregard of its citizens' rights, the Republic of South Africa recently enacted Expropriation Act 13 of 2024, to enable the government of South Africa to seize ethnic minority Afrikaners' agricultural property without compensation," the order states. In addition, South Africa has accused Israel in the International Court of Justice of committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The country is also growing closer with Iran, with plans to develop commercial, military, and nuclear arrangements. Earlier this month, Rubio announced that South Africa's ambassador to the U.S. was no longer welcome in the country. In a post on X, Rubio called Embrahim Rasool a "race-baiting" politician who hates America and Trump. Rasool addressed the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) in Johannesburg when he said Trump's Make America Great Again movement a White supremacist response to demographic changes in the U.S. In response, Rubio declared the ambassador "Persona Non Grata," meaning not welcome. Fox News Digital has reached out to the South African Embassy in Washington article source: Rubio says South Africa must protect White farmers, US will offer admission to those facing violence
Fox News
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Rubio says South Africa must protect White farmers, US will offer admission to those facing violence
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said White South Africans facing threats of violence would be welcomed in the United States. Rubio's position comes amid tension between the South African government and the Trump administration over that country's land expropriation law and its anti-Israel stance. In a post on X, Rubio referred to the "Kill the Boer," an old anti-apartheid chant that critics say is a call to anti-White violence and has been used to refer to White farmers. "South Africa's leaders and politicians must take action to protect Afrikaner and other disfavored minorities," Rubio wrote on Monday. "The United States is proud to offer those individuals who qualify for admission to our nation amid this continued horrible threat of violence." The Trump administration has pushed back against South Africa's expropriation law, as well as its stance against Israel. The land expropriation law allows the government to make land seizures without compensation. In February, Trump issued an executive order penalizing South Africa. "In shocking disregard of its citizens' rights, the Republic of South Africa recently enacted Expropriation Act 13 of 2024, to enable the government of South Africa to seize ethnic minority Afrikaners' agricultural property without compensation," the order states. In addition, South Africa has accused Israel in the International Court of Justice of committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The country is also growing closer with Iran, with plans to develop commercial, military, and nuclear arrangements. Earlier this month, Rubio announced that South Africa's ambassador to the U.S. was no longer welcome in the country. In a post on X, Rubio called Embrahim Rasool a "race-baiting" politician who hates America and Trump. Rasool addressed the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) in Johannesburg when he said Trump's Make America Great Again movement a White supremacist response to demographic changes in the U.S. In response, Rubio declared the ambassador "PERSONA NON GRATA," meaning not welcome. Fox News Digital has reached out to the South African Embassy in Washington D.C.
CBS News
17-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Trump admin. expels South Africa envoy Ebrahim Rasool, calls him a "race-baiting politician who hates America"
Johannesburg — The Trump administration expelled South Africa's Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool on Friday, giving him 72 hours to leave the country. In a social media post, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Rasool a "race-baiting politician who hates America" and President Trump. In a diplomatic notice, the Department of State said that it would no longer recognize Ambassador Rasool as a "member of the [South African] mission from today, March 17," adding that "his privileges and immunities will cease" and that he was "persona non grata" in the United States. The expulsion came after Rasool, during a webinar hosted by the South African Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection, accused Mr. Trump of pursuing policies and practices that the diplomat characterized as "a white supremacist response to growing demographic diversity in the United States." Rasool was expelled just two months after he arrived in Washington to serve as his country's envoy. "Improving our relationship with the United States of America is a priority for us," South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa told journalists on Monday, calling the U.S. "our second largest trading partner after China." "We have noted the displeasure that has been expressed by the United States, particularly about the remarks he made," Ramaphosa said, adding that he expected Rasool to return to Pretoria and " give me a full report." Ebrahim Rasool speaks onstage on March 18, 2013, in New York City. Donald Bowers/Getty/Shared Interest It's the latest in a string of incidents that have seen a marked deterioration of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and South Africa since Mr. Trump took office for his second term in January. Speaking on South African television on Saturday, the country's foreign minister said the decision by the U.S. to expel Rasool, who previously campaigned against the country's racist Apartheid regime, was "unprecedented and regrettable," before adding: "We need to find time to engage with each other behind closed doors, where the U.S. can raise their concerns with us, and we can also raise our concerns with them, because it is not helpful to engage in megaphone and Twitter diplomacy." A pro-Hamas, anti-Israel ambassador to the U.S.? Rasool's appointment to head the South African diplomatic mission in the U.S., by the ruling African National Congress party, was a contentious one even before he arrived in Washington, dividing opinions within the country's new Government of National Unity (GNU). The ANC had to build the coalition government to maintain power after failing to win a significant enough majority in the last elections to govern on its own. "Rasool's appointment was opposed by all of the other political parties in the GNU, and was the first large point of contention between the parties," Wiliam Gumede, a professor of public management at Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg, explained to CBS News. "Eventually, the non-ANC partners caved in," Gumede said, which led to Rasool getting the job. "He is perceived to be pro-Iran and Hamas, as well as strongly anti-Israel, which is largely why it was felt he was the wrong choice for the ambassador post," Gumede told CBS News. Rasool has long been a controversial figure in South African politics, having spoken favorably of the U.S.- and Israeli-designated terrorist organization Hamas, and even boasting of his ties with the group's leadership. He is a strong backer of the case South Africa filed with the United Nations' top court, accusing Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. Israel has vehemently rejected that accusation, arguing that its war in the Palestinian enclave has been a legitimate self-defense against Hamas following the group's Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack. Gumede said he believed the way for Ramaphosa to ease the tension with Washington was for the South African president to publicly label Rasool's comments "unacceptable," while also giving a detailed acknowledgement of how important relations and aid from the U.S. are to South Africa. The analyst said if such measures were not taken by Pretoria to smooth the relationship, the impasse could deepen, with significant implications for South Africa. "I fear the next step steps could be targeted economic sanctions against South Africa, which would mean we are in danger of losing 300,000 to 400,000 direct jobs in the country, as well as hundreds of thousands more jobs through indirect channels," he said. "It's not too late" Gumede added. "President Trump has a lot of South Africans in his inner circle. We need to engage them and put together a team of non-ANC partners from the Government of National Unity to travel to the U.S. and engage the Trump team. The relationship is simply too important not to." In: Marco Rubio Hamas Israel South Africa Donald Trump Sarah Carter Sarah Carter is an award-winning CBS News producer based in Johannesburg, South Africa. She has been with CBS News since 1997, following freelance work for organizations including The New York Times, National Geographic, PBS Frontline and NPR.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
U.S. expels ‘race-baiting' South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool
March 15 (UPI) -- Sec. of State Marco Rubio announced the expulsion of South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool following remarks Rasool made accusing the United States of engaging in "supremacist" policies domestically and globally. "South Africa's ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country," Rubio said Friday in a post on X. "Ebrahim Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates [President Donald Trump]," Rubio said. "We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered persona non grata." Rasool's remarks during a MISTRA online webinar titled, "Implications of changes in U.S. administration for South Africa and Africa," spurred his expulsion. The Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection hosted the webinar and defines itself as a "progressive institute" with a stated mission of advancing South Africa's development by "addressing the complex challenges that straddle issues of nation-formation, economic growth, social equity, science and technology, and the country's positioning in a globalized world." Rasool's participation begins at the 13-minute mark, and he accuses the United States of engaging in "supremacist" actions in opposition to what Rasool calls an "incumbency" of those holding power. Rasool said the Trump administration is continuing the prior Biden administration's "resistance" to the "emerging multi-polarity in the world" while trying to "maintain U.S. ideological hegemony" globally. He cited the "arming of Ukraine and Israel" as evidence of the resistance and accused the Trump administration of "disrespect for the institutional base for the current hegemonic order." Rasool cited U.S. negotiations with Russia and disrespect for NATO, the U.N., bypassing funding of the World Bank, and opposing South Africa chairing the G20 instead of the United States as evidence of "supremacist" actions by the Trump administration. "What Donald Trump is launching is an assault on incumbency, those who are in power, by mobilizing a supremacism against the incumbency at home and abroad," Rasool said. "The supremacist assault on incumbency we see in the domestic politics of the USA, the MAGA movement ... as a response" that is rooted in "supremacist instinct," Rasool said. He accused the Trump administration of trying to maintain political power among "whites" in the United States and globally. "Very clear data shows great demographic shifts in the USA in which the voting electorate is projected to become 48% white and the possibility of a majority of minorities is looming on the horizon," Rasool said. He said the shifting U.S. demographic "needs to be factored in so we understand" Trump administration policies, including the an "instinctive nativist, racist" border wall being built, deportations and "export of the revolution." Such actions are to "project white victimhood as a dog whistle that there is a global protected movement in embattled white communities," Rasool said while calling Trump administration policies a "supremacist insurgency against the incumbency" in the United States and globally. His expulsion by U.S. officials requires Rasool to leave the United States by Friday, a State Department spokesperson told CNN. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Rasool's expulsion from the United States is "regrettable" in a statement posted on X Saturday. "South Africa remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America," Ramaphosa said. He urged "all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in their engagement with the matter."
The Independent
15-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Marco Rubio declares South African envoy to US persona non grata over speech criticizing Trump, Musk and Vance
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is seeking to expel South Africa 's ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, after the official criticized Donald Trump during a forum early on Friday. 'South Africa's Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country,' Rubio wrote on X later that day. He accused Rasool of being 'a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates [the president of the United States] @POTUS.' 'We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA,' Rubio added. Rubio, in his announcement, pointed to remarks from Rasool at a recent panel hosted by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection, a South African think tank. During his comments, Rasool argued that Trump's Make American Great Again movement, as well as Elon Musk and JD Vance 's efforts this year boosting right-wing parties in the UK and Germany, were part of a global movement catering to the anxieties of white communities. 'It may not be true, it may not make sense, but that is not the dog whistle that is being heard in a global, white base,' the ambassador said. The ambassador, who served the same post in the Obama administration, had already reportedly been struggling to get meetings with Trump administration figures and top Republicans in Washington. 'A man named Ebrahim, who is Muslim, with a history of pro-Palestine politics, is not likely to do well in that job right now,' a South African diplomat told Semafor. The expulsion effort is the latest a swift deterioration that's taken place in the U.S.-South Africa relationship during the opening months of the Trump administration. Last month, the White House said it would cut off U.S. aid to South Africa in protest of the country accusing Israel of genocide in the International Court of Justice. The Trump administration also cited opposition to a land expropriation law meant to remedy the country's history of racial inequality and past forced displacement of Black families. The White House has accused the law, which in some cases allows expropriation without compensation, of being racist against white Afrikaners in South Africa. South Africa has also announced plans to spend more on health, with cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development. The country cares for the world's largest HIV population and has over 5 million of people on antiretroviral drugs supported by the U.S. in the past.
