• President Cyril Ramaphosa defends appointing Roelf Meyer as South Africa’s US ambassador, citing his qualifications and diplomatic experience.
• The appointment has sparked mixed reactions, with criticism from the EFF, ActionSA, and right-wing groups, citing concerns over Meyer’s past affiliations.
• Ramaphosa emphasises Meyer’s neutrality and ability to recalibrate US-South Africa relations, urging support for his role.

President Cyril Ramaphosa stands by his decision to appoint Roelf Meyer as South Africa’s ambassador to the United States.

Ramaphosa believes that Meyer is “more than qualified” for the role, well attuned to the country’s policies and those of the government, and will articulate them very well in the US.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the 2026 National Local Economic Development Summit, the president hailed Meyer as “a very loyal and patriotic South African”.

He urged South Africans to “wish him well and give him all the support he needs”.

Meyer, 78, has worn many hats in pre- and post democratic South Africa. He served as an apartheid-era minister, and again served in Nelson Mandela’s government of national unity after the 1994 elections.

READ | Veteran political negotiator Roelf Meyer named as next US ambassador

He was the chief negotiator for the National Party at the Codesa talks, alongside Ramaphosa, who was negotiating for the ANC.

It has been exactly a year since South Africa has had no ambassador in the US, after Ebrahim Rasool was expelled from the US in March last year.

Rasool was given 72 hours to vacate the US following remarks he made in a webinar facilitated by thinktank Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection, where, among other things, he accused US President Donald Trump’s administration of supremacism.

Rasool’s conduct fractured an already tense relationship between Pretoria and Washington since the start of Trump’s second administration.

Since then, South Africa has not had a representative in the US.

Finally, Ramaphosa has appointed an ambassador.

But his choice of who will represent Pretoria in Washington has drawn mixed reactions.

The Democratic Alliance was the most positive with International Affairs spokesperson Ryan Smith commenting that Meyer’s experience as a veteran politician and negotiator through some of the most difficult periods in SA history, stood him in good stead to fill the post.

Smith cautioned though, that Meyer could only do so much to repair the relationship which would continue to be strained “if the ANC continue to antagonise the USA in its public support for Iran and its Islamic regime, as well as its increasing proximity to Russia.”

The EFF labelled Ramaphosa’s choice of an ambassador as “tone-deaf” and an “insult to our democratic struggle”.

The red berets called for the “immediate withdrawal” of Meyer’s appointment and for Ramaphosa to appoint someone who “embodies the true revolutionary values of our country”.

“At a time when the United States itself is grappling with entrenched racism and the resurgence of right-wing, white supremacist politics, South Africa should be asserting a bold, uncompromising anti-imperialist posture, not deploying individuals whose past aligns with systems of racial domination.

“Instead, it reflects a dangerous willingness by the current administration to appease Trump’s white supremacist whims by presenting a figure who is palatable to white power structures,” said the party in a statement.

In a post on X, ActionSA president Herman Mashaba accused Ramaphosa of handing “the country back to the National Party and completely compromising our freedom and our country’s sovereignty”.

Right-wing organisations such as AfriForum, Solidaritate and Freedom Front + were also not pleased by Ramaphosa’s choice of an ambassador to the US.

According to these organisations, Meyer is not loyal and changes sides to suit his personal gains.

This criticism stems from Meyer later joining the ANC after having been a member of the National Party and its chief negotiator.

READ | Confirmed: Ramaphosa set to appoint new ambassador to Washington

Because of this, according to FF+ leader Corne Mulder, Meyer’s “credibility is seriously problematic to say the least”.

Kallie Kriel of Afriforum sees Meyer’s appointment as another cadre deployment by the ANC, and not a “principled ambassador” that can engage the US.

“His history shows that he is someone who is willing to dramatically reposition himself to suit his own personal interests. His becoming a member of the ANC is a prime example. His shifting between parties and his eventual alignment with the ANC do not reflect steadfastness,” wrote Kriel on X.

Head of the Solidarity Board, Dirk Herman, was more direct and frank about the organisation’s reservations regarding Meyer.

Herman wrote:

“There is a perception that President Ramaphosa has deployed an Afrikaner cadre within his inner circle to neutralise the Americans. This will not work.

“Roelf Meyer is a political appointment whose skills do not meet what is currently required in Washington,” added Herman.

Ramaphosa is aware of the criticism over his choice of a US ambassador, but is not bothered.

“Yes, he did lead the National Party negotiating team together with myself, he was a Cabinet minister in the initial government of national unity and has done very well in those areas. Recently, he has been involved in mediation processes in a number of countries, which, in many ways, has sharpened his diplomatic skills…”

Ramaphosa added:

He added that Meyer has already begun interactions with a number of people on Capitol Hill and in various US departments.

“He is, for me, more than well qualified to execute this task of being South Africa’s ambassador to the United States… he will represent South Africa very well. He has always flown the South African flag very high, and he will do so like all our ambassadors,” added Ramaphosa.

Speaking on criticism of Meyer’s political home, the ANC, Ramaphosa said he would not place emphasis on his political affiliation and that, as a diplomat, the ambassador is required to be “as neutral as possible”.

“Mr Roelf Meyer is well attuned with the policies of the country, of this government, and every ambassador who represents me, because as president, they represent the president and the country – every ambassador who represents South Africa in foreign missions must comply and articulate the policies of the government that has sent him or her there. If he doesn’t, he must come back,” said Ramaphosa.

Meanwhile, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said Meyer is a “good appointment” by Ramaphosa.

He further wrote on X: “Racist AfriForum are not happy that an Afrikaner will now dispel the lie that there is a white genocide in South Africa. Good and tactically sound appointment.”