Diplomacy expert Dr Oscar van Heerden has attributed the growing tensions between South Africa and the United States to a small group of disgruntled white males with links to South Africa.

This is after South Africa’s ambassador to the US Ebrahim Rasool, was unceremoniously booted from the US and deemed persona non grata.

Relations have been tense, between the two countries since President Donald Trump called some South African laws discriminatory to a minority offering refuge to them in the US.

Van Heerden elaborates, “I didn’t see it coming, but it’s also not unexpected- we’ve been dealing with a very erratic President Trump, and his administration. We know, for example by now, after investigations, that there is certainly a speckle of young, white males around President Trump, who have links with South Africa, and it seems that they are disgruntled.”

Meanwhile, International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola says Pretoria will continue to engage the United States administration so both countries can raise their concerns and put forward their grievances.

Lamola spoke to the media on Saturday following the expulsion of Rasool. He says the relations between the two countries are both beneficial.