By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider 

Afriforum CEO Kallie Kriel has slammed the appointment of Roelf Meyer as Ambassador of South Africa to the US, who was formerly a National Party (MP) and a co-founder of the United Democratic Movement. Meyer will be replacing Ebrahim Rasool as the new South African Ambassador to the US. 

The Afriforum CEO had posted on his X (Twitter) account expressing his disappointment in Meyer’s appointment as the new South African Ambassador, 12 hours after the appointment was announced.

Kriel feels that Meyer is not the ambassador that South Africa needs and that the last thing the country needs is another member of the African National Congress (ANC) to be made the new ambassador to the United States.

He went on to criticise the fact that Meyer changed his political stance, noting that he joined the ANC despite being a former member of the National Party which was the government that led South Africa in the establishment of apartheid in 1948.

 “A principled ambassador is needed who can engage with the USA competently in the interests of South Africa. His history shows that he is someone who is willing to dramatically reposition himself to suit his personal interests. His becoming a member of the ANC is a prime example. His shifting between parties and his eventual alignment with the ANC do not reflect steadfastness” said Kriel on X.

Meyer’s appointment came a year after Ebrahim Rasool was expelled from the US as Persona non grata on 14 March 2025.

US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, accused Rasool of hating United States President, Donald Trump, and for race-baiting after he made remarks during a webinar saying that Trump is leading a white supremacist movement in the United States.

 Initially Ramaphosa appointed Mcebisi Jonas to be the special envoy to the United States on 14 April but a video of him calling Trump a racist had resurfaced and the US rejected his visa application.