International relations expert, Dr Kingsley Makhubela has questioned the conduct of South Africa’s ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, to the US, following his sudden expulsion from the country.

In a post on X, the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio said that the South African ambassador was no longer welcome in the US.

Rubio accused Rasool of being a race baiting politician who hates US President Donald Trump.

This as clips of ambassador Rasool describing Trump, in less than flattering language have come to light. Rasool’s sudden exit is part of a string of events signaling icy relations between the two countries.

Makhubela said Rasool made himself irrelevant.

“There are clips that are circulating, of ambassador Rasool, characterising Donald Trump as an assault on incumbency, in the state and in the world. You can’t do that as an ambassador, it means he really made himself irrelevant, because the court will not be able to discuss with him in this respect- if he has this kind of regard for the ambassador.

There are other elements that contributed in the past, in terms of statements coming from the ambassador- and I think the decorum that is required in diplomacy, is that you treat your host with utmost respect.”