Is South Africa deliberately leaving the US ambassador post vacant?

The impression has been strengthened by South Africa's decision to appoint senior career diplomat Thabo Thage as deputy ambassador in the US, effectively leaving him to run the mission as chargé d’affaires in the absence of an official ambassador.

At the same time, Ramaphosa’s international investment adviser, Alistair Ruiters, has emerged as South Africa’s key channel to US officials, operating as a chief negotiator with Washington while based in Pretoria. Officials have indicated that part of Ruiters’ effectiveness comes from being located in the Presidency, allowing faster decision-making and giving US counterparts access to someone close to the highest office.

The vacancy follows a turbulent period in the relationship. Ramaphosa’s previous envoy to the second Trump administration, Ebrahim Rasool, was declared persona non grata and expelled after comments made during a public webinar. Soon after, Ramaphosa appointed former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas as special envoy, but the Trump administration reportedly denied him a diplomatic visa.

Government officials have told Daily Maverick that, in a shifting diplomatic scene, an unorthodox approach may work better, especially given what they describe as the Trump administration’s preference for unconventional channels. For now, South Africa appears to be relying on a mix of an acting head of mission in Washington and a Presidency-linked negotiator at home, rather than risking another high-profile ambassadorial standoff.

Meanwhile, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) confirmed on March 11 that it had démarched Leo Brent Bozell III, less than a month after he arrived in the country, after comments he made about the struggle song “Kill the Boer” sparked a diplomatic backlash.