Speaking on the sidelines of the DA's Human Rights Day Commemoration in Johannesburg, Zille said that the DA’s recent visit to the US was aimed at repairing strained relations between the two nations.
Two weeks ago, a DA delegation engaged with key US officials, including representatives from the US State Department and the White House. Among the leaders they met were US Senator Marco Rubio and the US Secretary of State. Their visit came at a particularly sensitive time following US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to South Africa and expel SA Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool.
Zille explained that one of their core messages to US officials was to separate the South African people from the actions of their government.
"They cut off aid before the DA went there, so we were basically saying to them, 'Don’t punish the people. If you don’t like the ANC, don’t punish the people of SA. We are a great nation of many people, and we have appreciated your support for PEPFAR, for the US Agency for International Development, for all the things you’ve done.' That was one of our key messages," Zille said.
The DA Chairperson also criticised Rasool's tenure as SA’s Ambassador, accusing him of making inflammatory comments that worsened diplomatic relations, particularly with the US.
"Ebrahim Rasool was an Ambassador, he said things that no ambassador should say about their host country and host president, and he was asking for trouble," Zille remarked. "He is also a very well-known supporter of Hamas, and of course, we know exactly where Trump stands on the question of the Middle East."
Zille’s remarks highlight growing dissatisfaction with the current SA government's foreign policy and the ongoing tensions between the ANC and the US. The DA’s visit to Washington underscores their efforts to distance SA from the diplomatic missteps of the ANC and ensure the well-being of the country's people remains a priority in international relations.
--ChannelAfrica--
