By Gcinokuhle Malinga.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola says the process to appoint a new South African ambassador to the United States is at an advanced stage.
Former ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was expelled by the Trump administration in March after comments he made in a webinar that were critical of the US president and those around him.
President Cyril Ramaphosa later appointed Mcebisi Jonas as a special envoy to US.
The DA claimed his diplomatic visa and credentials were rejected, but the Presidency denied this, saying special envoys do not present credentials in the same way as ambassadors.
Briefing the media on Monday, Lamola said President Cyril Ramaphosa will not be dictated to on who should be appointed to Washington.
“ We had an ambassador in the US and that ambassador was expelled, [and] President Ramaphosa has always prioritised the US in terms of an ambassador responsibility. So, the fact that our ambassador was expelled means that the new process to appoint the ambassador will not be as easy as it will have been when an ambassador will have not been expelled.
“We have to take all careful consideration, all due diligence and the president at the right time will announce who will become the ambassador of South Africa in the US.”