In a statement announcing Jonas’ appointment, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Jonas will be entrusted with the responsibility of advancing the country's diplomatic, trade and bilateral priorities. 

The appointment comes as Pretoria considers a replacement for the position of South African (SA) Ambassador to the US.

Jonas gained broad support after testifying at the State Capture Inquiry and revealing that he rejected an underhanded 2016 offer for the position of Finance Minister by members of the controversial Gupta family. The presidency has asserted that Jonas will lead negotiations, foster strategic partnerships and engage with US government officials and private-sector leaders to promote the nation's interests.

In response the announcement, business alliance leaders, Business for South Africa (B4SA) hailed Jonas' appointment as a crucial step towards improving relations between the two countries. B4SA Chief Executive Officer, Martin Kingston says the appointment clearly demonstrates SA’s commitment to a reset of the relationship with Washington.

“And I would argue that it is absolutely crucial at this moment in time when jobs [are] our primary focus as a country. And partnership between business and government underscores that critical issue and the US is a key trading and investment partner and the broader influence that it has around the world”, Kingston.

Makwe Masilela of Makwe Fund Managers shared Kingston’s sentiments, adding that the appointment helped strengthen the rand by 1,1% from last week's weaker levels.

“If you look into his political background, his policy formulation, his got the necessary background. The guy has also been into business, although the number of years he's spent in business is not the same as the years spent as a government official.  And I think this will work well because even the business community is happy with the appointment and hopefully they will be influence the guys in the US to give him an ear because all he'll be doing is to get to ensure that relations are smooth”, Masilela said.

Some civil society organisations have however raised concerns over the MTN Chairperson’s ability to succeed in the role, given his previous comments, where he referred to US President, Donald Trump as a racist and a homophobe during the annual Ahmed Kathrada Lecture in 2020.  

---SABC----