‘These things happen, people move on’: Mcebisi Jonas brushes off ‘racist’ comment about Trump

South Africa's newly appointed special envoy to the US Mcebisi Jonas has downplayed concerns about previous comments he made about US President Donald Trump.

In a resurfaced 2020 video, Jonas referred to Trump as a “racist,” “homophobe” and “narcissistic right-winger”.

Despite the remarks sparking controversy, Jonas said it is normal for politicians to say “nasty” things about one another.

“I was outside government at the time,” he said in an interview with Radio 702.

“I was speaking as an activist, and I think these things happen. People move on and confront the challenges of the time. I'm sure if you Google any politician, you will find they have said something nasty about one politician or another.

“The reality is that the challenge we all face and the task at hand is to work on the relations between the two countries, and I'm committed to doing that. I believe I have the backing of the government, but also of South Africans in general.”

Jonas's appointment, announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, tasks him with advancing SA's diplomatic, trade and bilateral priorities. He will engage with US government officials to promote the country's interests.

The appointment comes amid escalating tensions between SA and the US. Former ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was expelled for criticising Trump's administration, and Trump has expressed disapproval of SA's land policies, threatening to boycott the G20 summit in November.

“US relations with SA are fundamentally important to the national agenda for SA. It is important for our economy and important for our relationship with other parts of the world. Look at it as part of a broader economic, social and cultural agenda of the country. In that sense, I think it's crucial. It is my contribution to driving national interest,” Jonas said.

The MTN non-executive chairperson and former finance minister acknowledged the complexity of the situation, but emphasised the potential for long-term growth. Despite past comments, he believes there's a basis for rebuilding understanding between the two countries.

“I'm not underplaying the challenge. The situation is complex, not because of what I said, but due to its very objective nature. It is complex, and I don't think there are quick wins. It's a long slog where we kind of rebuild understanding and find each other in a number of areas. I think there is a basis for doing that.

“I believe we have more than 600 companies from the US operating in SA, and we have a trade balance that is positive for SA. All these things point to the fact that the basics for a long-term relationship are there, and it's a matter of us working through and dealing with some of the problems and challenges we have faced in the past.”

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