Tony Leon criticises Rasool, says he would not take US ambassador job

Former DA leader and former ambassador to Argentina Tony Leon has expressed no interest in filling the vacant SA ambassador to the US post to replace the expelled Ebrahim Rasool.

The position became available after Rasool was booted out for accusing US President Donald Trump and his administration of supremacism.

DA federal chair Helen Zille has suggested Leon for the role.

"[Tony Leon] has the attributes needed to mend relations between South Africa and the US. He is an experienced diplomat with skill in the international relations field. He is very widely read, understands the complexity of the issues involved, and would be taken seriously in Washington,” Zille said.

In an interview with eNCA, Leon said he would not accept the job if it was offered.

“This is hypothetical speculation. It’s not something I've canvassed or something that was discussed with me beforehand. She [Zille] just said she was door stopped by journalists. I’m happy people like Zille say appropriate things in my case, but I’m not seeking a job,” he said.

“I am seeking that South Africa should put its best foot forward and decide whether it will subordinate some of the policies that are not advancing economic growth and job creation.”

Leon, who served as ambassador to Argentina from 2009 to 2012, believes the next person to take on the role will have a challenging task due to differences between the US and South Africa on various policies.

“I’m sure there are a number of people who could foot the bill, but another point is that even if you had a diplomatic superstar, simply finding a very effective, discreet, and sophisticated diplomat to advance the case is one thing; the important thing is the case itself.

“I think we should use this crisis as an opportunity to look deeply into our agenda, how we are advancing it, and whether we’re advancing the interests of our country. To me, there are only two things that matter in diplomacy, and they relate to getting our economic growth up and getting our joblessness down.”

Leon shared his experience as ambassador to Argentina, where he was instructed to keep his opinions to himself, he said.

“The best instruction I received was that the job of an ambassador is to think twice and say nothing. I put that into practice because I have a very big mouth. My job as an ambassador was to sell South Africa and not my opinions. There were multiple faults and acts committed by the Argentinian president and administration at the time. I didn’t comment on them; I reported back to Pretoria about what was going on and how it was affecting the bilateral relationship, but in public I didn't offer my comments.”

Rasool was welcomed back home in Cape Town on Sunday, where he expressed no regret over his comments about Trump. Leon said if he were President Cyril Ramaphosa, he would have contacted Trump to explain that Rasool's comments did not reflect the opinion of South Africa.

Leon criticised Rasool's welcoming rally at the airport, describing it as more of a performance by an activist than an ambassador.

“An ambassador is not sent abroad to give his own personal opinions; he’s there to represent his country’s interests and agenda. What Rasool said was outside the norm for a diplomat speaking in a foreign country to which he is accredited.”

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