Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in the Western Cape has vowed to give a hero’s welcome to Ebrahim Rasool, South Africa’s expelled ambassador to the US, when he returns to the province, calling on the South African government to expel the US ambassador in response.
Malvern de Bruyn, Cosatu’s provincial secretary in the Western Cape made the remarks over the weekend after the conclusion of the union’s sixth provincial conference.
“As Cosatu, we are saying that Ebrahim Rasool is one of us. He is a child of the soil,” De Bruyn said.
The trade union said Rasool’s expulsion issue is part of the international resolutions adopted at the federation’s congress.
Rasool was expelled from the US on Friday, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accusing the envoy of hating the country and President Donald Trump.
"South Africa's Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country," Rubio posted on X.
Trump called Rasool a "a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS.”.
"We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA,” Trump added.
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In response, De Bruyn said Cosatu would organise a hero’s welcome for Rasool when he returns to the Western Cape.
“We decided in this meeting, in this congress, that when he (Rasool) arrives in the Western Cape, that we will go out in our numbers to the Cape Town International Airport to welcome him back to this province,” he said.
The union strongly opposed what it sees as the Trump administration’s unjust treatment of the South Africa government to expel its ambassador to the US.
“As Cosatu, we are calling for our government to expel the ambassador from this country (referring to the US) and to close all relations with the Trump’s regime if they want to treat us like that,” De Bruyn added.
On Sunday, IOL News reported that political experts have weighed in on the dramatic implications of Rasool’s expulsion.
Political expert Sanusha Naidu said the incident reflects a broader trend of irrationality in US foreign policy.
Naidu stressed that "for the first time, we see South Africa is dealing with an irrational White House and leadership” that seems to disregard the established norms of diplomacy.
Naidu emphasised the importance of maintaining decorum and maturity in South Africa's diplomatic approach.
"It is crucial for South Africa to remain a diplomatic actor and to manage its responses thoughtfully. We shouldn’t allow this kind of treatment to dictate our actions," she asserted.
Meanwhile, the South African government expressed regret over the expulsion of Rasool, calling it a sign of continued strained relations between the two nations.
This comes after Trump froze US aid to South Africa in February, citing land reform law he claims allows land to be seized from white farmers.
IOL Politics