Dear Editor
More than 90 days have passed since President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Mcebisi Jonas as South Africa’s Special Envoy to the United States of America (USA).
Jonas’ appointment came on the back of Ambassador Rasool’s expulsion, and was billed as a critical intervention to stave off the impending collapse of vital export industries under punitive liberation day tariffs.
With just over two weeks to go before the 30% tariffs come into effect on 1 August, industries that support hundreds of thousands of jobs – from citrus to automotives – remain on knife’s edge.
Whilst former Deputy Trade Minister Andrew Whitfield was unceremoniously fired from Cabinet for taking the initiative to travel to the USA in a bid to rebuild bilateral trust, Ramaphosa’s Special Envoy is nowhere to be seen.
The DA will in coming days submit a Promotion of Access to Information (PAIA) application compelling the Presidency to disclose the full details of Mr Jonas government-sponsored activities over the last 90 days.
South Africans must now ask exactly what motivated Jonas’ appointment as the President’s Special Envoy, and whether his business interests put him entirely at odds with this mandate.
Mcebisi Jonas currently serves as Chairperson of the MTN Group. MTN is embroiled in serious legal action in US courts under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). The primary lawsuit alleges that the group violated anti-terrorism laws by providing support to militant groups in Afghanistan, including the Taliban. MTN’s business ties in Iran have drawn further criticism due to its joint venture, MTN Irancell, in which MTN holds a 49% stake. The remaining 51% is owned by the Iran Electronic Development Company (IEDC), a state-linked entity connected to Iran’s Bonyad Mostazafan Foundation, which has ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and is sanctioned by the US treasury.
Allegations that MTN offered kickbacks to South African government officials and diplomats to secure support for its Irancell deal remain rife, and are cited in multiple court documents.
In light of these grave concerns, the DA calls on the President to urgently provide full details of all engagements, negotiations, and interventions Mr Jonas has taken in an effort to stabilise bilateral relations and safeguarded trade between South Africa and the U.S.
If Mr Jonas is unable to perform his functions as designated by the President, he must urgently be replaced by a suitably qualified interlocutor, whose business interests do not pose a grave conflict of interest.
Regards
Emma Louise Powell MP
DA Spokesperson on International Relations & Cooperation