South Africa moves to restore US ties with appointment of Thabo Thage

Key topics:Thabo Thage appointed to represent SA in WashingtonDiplomatic gap continues after Rasool expulsionUS-SA tensions linger amid envoy and visa issues.Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox every morning on weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa's bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..By Ana Monteiro.South Africa appointed career diplomat Thabo Thage as its so-called minister plenipotentiary to Washington as it finalizes the selection of a permanent ambassador, Business Day reported. The appointment, made earlier this month, enables Thage to negotiate and sign agreements, the Johannesburg-based newspaper said, citing people it didn’t identify. He’ll also serve as deputy head of mission, a position that will soon become vacant, it said.The US ambassador to Pretoria, Brent Bozell, will present his credentials to President Cyril Ramaphosa in April, the paper said, without saying how it got the information. .Read more:.Rasool defiant after US expulsion, returns to South Africa.Pretoria hasn’t had an ambassador in the US capital since early 2025, when Ebrahim Rasool was expelled over remarks he made that were critical of US President Donald Trump. Ramaphosa appointed Mcebisi Jonas as special envoy in April, but he didn’t receive a visa to travel to the US..© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.

South Africa moves to restore US ties with appointment of Thabo Thage

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