Envoy bows out after Trump win

Good riddance’ for SACP, but expert praises talented’ ambassador.

- Eric Naki

There were mixed reactions to the resignation of the US ambassador to South Africa, Dr Reuben Brigety II, with the SA Communist Party (SACP) saying his departure is good riddance.

"He must go, he destabilised South Africa. His action and utterances bordered on undermining our national democratic sovereignty," said SACP spokesperson Dr Alex Mashilo.

Mashilo was referring to the controversy that erupted after the ambassador claimed South Africa was backing Russia with weapons against Ukraine and that a Russian vessel, Lady R, was spotted loading arms in Simon's Town harbour in the Western Cape.

The SACP is among the group that called for the envoy to be sent home, but the issue was resolved between the two countries.

Mashilo said the Simon's Town incident and the report attributed to Brigety about a bomb threat in Sandton undermined South Africa's sovereignty and affected its economy because the rand plummeted at the time.