MTN chair and special envoy to US Jonas blames “dirty tricks” for strained US-SA ties
Key topics:
Jonas alleges info war to make SA a pariah state
MTN’s US legal troubles heighten envoy controversy
Visa, Iran ties, and Trump remarks spark criticism
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MTN chairman and special envoy to the United States, Mcebisi Jonas, has alleged he is the victim of an information war led by well-connected people who want to make South Africa a pariah state.
President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Jonas as special envoy to the US in April 2025, intending to mend fences with the Donald Trump-led government.
Several entities quickly criticised the appointment for failing to take into account Jonas’ 2020 remarks, in which he called Trump a “racist, homophobic, and narcissistic right-winger.”
His position at MTN was also cited as potentially problematic, as the company was already facing serious legal issues in the US.
EFF deputy president Godrich Gardee said Ramaphosa should have done “some vetting” around who he had appointed.
“The fact that Jonas is the chairperson of MTN will have a dent on the appointment because of…the economic relationship between MTN and Iran, which is an arch-enemy of the US,” Gardee said.
In July 2025, the DA’s former international relations spokesperson Emma Powell alleged that Jonas was denied a diplomatic visa.
Jonas was supposed to play a leading role in negotiating with the US to avoid the implementation of a 30% tariff on South African imports.
Powell also criticised the choice when considering MTN’s embroilment in serious legal action in the US courts over alleged violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
“The primary lawsuit alleges that the group violated anti-terrorism laws by providing support to militant groups in Afghanistan, including the Taliban,” she said.
“MTN’s business ties in Iran have drawn further criticism due to its joint venture, MTN Irancell, in which MTN holds a 49% stake.”
Powell pointed out that the remaining 51% of Irancell was owned by the Iran Electronic Development Company, a state-linked entity connected to Iran’s Bonyad Mostazafan Foundation.
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“The foundation is alleged to have ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and is sanctioned by the US Treasury,” she said.
Jonas likens “attacks” to Gupta-era misinformation
Powell said if Jonas could not perform his functions as designated by the president, he must be urgently be replaced by a suitably qualified interlocutor.
She resigned shortly after the statement, saying she had been threatened, intimidated, harassed, and illegally surveilled for “exposing the South African government and ANC’s close links to authoritarian regimes”.
In an interview with the Sunday Times this past week, Jonas labelled the “attacks” on him as “dirty tricks, defamatory allegations, and treasonous actions of certain South Africans.”
“The scale of the information war, the nefarious characters involved, their command of resources and their stranglehold over decision-making in South Africa under their cloak of legitimacy make the Bell Pottinger project look like a Sunday school picnic,” Jonas said.
“They have created the perfect storm, and we are caught in the vortex.”
Bell Pottinger was a UK-based public relations company hired by Gupta-owned Oakbay Investments to draw attention away from the family’s relationship with then-president Jacob Zuma.
The company used fake Twitter accounts to stir up racial tension with a focus on “white monopoly capital” and “economic Apartheid.”
Jonas’ comments come shortly after MTN revealed that it was under investigation by the US Department of Justice over Irancell and its former subsidiary in Afghanistan.
“MTN has been approached, through its external US counsel, regarding a DoJ grand jury investigation,” the company said in its half-year financial results.
“MTN is cooperating with the DoJ and voluntarily responding to requests for information. The company will update the market as appropriate on any material developments in the matter.”
Jonas also said that non-state actors had appointed themselves as spokespeople and negotiators on behalf of South Africa to serve certain political and business interests.
He alleged they were attempting to usurp authority over the country’s foreign policy. “They prey on the issues that divide us and our internal weaknesses to render South Africa a pariah state,” he said.
The chairman said he was focusing on his work rather than the attacks and would not shy away from “contributing a solution.”
This article was first published by MyBroadband and is republished with permission