By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The United States (US) Ambassador to South Africa Reuben E Brigety II has announced that he will be vacating office in January 2025.
Brigety said, the resignation will be effective January 10, 2025. His departure is standard procedure following an election in the US.
Brigety, appointed under outgoing President Joe Biden, will step down shortly before Donald Trump’s inauguration, following the Republican Party’s landslide victory in the 5 November election.
In his resignation statement on Monday, Brigety attributed his departure to democratic process.
“US ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president and with the recent election, the American people have expressed their choice for the future direction of our country, reflecting our shared commitment to democratic principles,” he said.
Brigety’s tenure, which began in August 2022, was defined by a major diplomatic crisis in May 2023, when he accused South Africa of docking weapons for Russia onto the vessel Lady R at Simon’s Town naval base.
These unproven allegations resulted in strained relations between Pretoria and Washington.
At the time, the South African government strongly denied the claims, while the fallout sent the rand tumbling and sparked fears of strained relations with Western allies.
An independent inquiry led by the retired supreme court of appeal judge, Phineas Mojapelo, later found no evidence to support Brigety’s allegations.
The panel concluded that the cargo in question originated from the United Arab Emirates and had no connection to Russia.
Despite these findings, Brigety stood firm on his allegations, intensifying tensions with South African officials.
The African National Congress (ANC) led government called for his recall, citing his statements as “inflammatory and damaging” to bilateral relations.