President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers a keynote address at the National Local Economic Development Summit at Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre in Johannesburg. Ramaphosa has pushed back against public criticism of his appointment of apartheid era minister, Roelf Meyer as the country’s next ambassador to the United States. President Cyril Ramaphosa has pushed back against public criticism of his appointment of apartheid era minister,Roelf Meyeras the country’snext ambassador to the United States.
Speaking on the sidelines of the National Local Economic Development Summit on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said that any ambassador who does not toe the South African government line will be recalled. “One of the criticisms that has been levelled against Mr Meyer’s appointment is that he joined the ANC. Now, you join the ANC, knowing well that you are embracing the policies that the ANC has articulated,” Ramaphosa told reporters.
“Now, I’m not putting emphasis on his political affiliation, and as a diplomat, he obviously needs to be as neutral as possible… Mr Roelf Meyer is well attuned with the policies of this 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.
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If he doesn’t, he must come back,” he said. Ramaphosa’s remarks come againsta backlash of criticism of the appointmentwith many citing Meyer’s role in propping up the apartheid regime and later negotiating a settlement that did not benefit the majority of South Africans. On Wednesday, The Economic Freedom Fighters condemned Meyer’s appointment as South Africa’s ambassador to the United States, calling it “tone deaf” and an affront to the country’s democratic history.
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