South Africa Names Ex-Apartheid Era Negotiator as New US Ambassador

South Africa has appointed Roelf Meyer, a former apartheid-era negotiator, as its new ambassador to the United States. Meyer will replace the previous ambassador, who was expelled by US President Donald Trump in 2025 due to criticism of the Make America Great Again movement.

Meyer's appointment is seen as a move by Pretoria to improve its relations with Washington, which have been strained over the past year. According to the South African Broadcasting Corporation, Meyer's experience as a negotiator will be valuable in this role.

Background on Meyer's Appointment

Meyer, 78, is a seasoned negotiator who played a key role in the talks that ended apartheid in South Africa. As a member of the white Afrikaans minority, he served as a minister under the apartheid Nationalist Party government before joining the African National Congress (ANC) in 2006.

Meyer's experience in negotiation will be crucial in his new role, particularly given the tensions between South Africa and the US. In 2025, President Trump expelled Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, citing his criticism of the Make America Great Again movement. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Rasool of being a "race-baiting politician" who hates the US and Trump.

The expulsion was followed by an executive order from Trump, freezing most foreign assistance to South Africa. This move was in response to South Africa's legal action at the International Court of Justice over Israel's actions in Gaza and the passage of a law aimed at correcting historic racial disparities in land ownership.

Meyer is set to take up his new post once all protocols are complete in Washington, DC, according to the office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.