South Africa has appointed veteran negotiator Roelf Meyer as its new ambassador to the United States - a move widely seen as an effort to repair strained relations with Washington after a turbulent period. Meyer, who helped steer negotiations to end apartheid alongside Cyril Ramaphosa, replaces Ebrahim Rasool, who was expelled by the administration of Donald Trump in 2025.  Tensions between Pretoria and Washington have deepened over issues ranging from South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, to disagreements over domestic policy and foreign relations. To unpack what this appointment signals for the future of US-South Africa relations, Mpho Sithole spoke to former US diplomat and international relations expert J. Brooks Spector, Welcome to The Discourse.

<p>South Africa has appointed veteran negotiator Roelf Meyer as its new ambassador to the United States - a move widely seen as an effort to repair strained relations with Washington after a turbulent period. Meyer, who helped steer negotiations to end apartheid alongside Cyril Ramaphosa, replaces Ebrahim Rasool, who was expelled by the administration of Donald Trump in 2025. &nbsp;Tensions between Pretoria and Washington have deepened over issues ranging from South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, to disagreements over domestic policy and foreign relations. To unpack what this appointment signals for the future of US-South Africa relations, Mpho Sithole spoke to former US diplomat and international relations expert J. Brooks Spector, Welcome to The Discourse.</p>