Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says it is concerning that Joel Pollak, the US' possible pick to become an ambassador to South Africa, has been involved in a series of damaging behaviour in South Africa.
Magwenya, who was addressing the media on Thursday in Pretoria, did not rule out the possibility of Pollak being the next ambassador.
“We will wait to see if he gets nominated, if he gets appointed, and we will take things from there. But it is a concern that he seeks to represent the United States here,” he said.
Magwenya expressed concern about Pollak’s intentions “because so far he is engaged in a very divisive and very damaging manner towards South Africa and South Africa-related issues”.
This comes after Ebrahim Rasool was expelled as the South African ambassador to the US, accused by the US of being a "race-baiter".
The South African-born Pollak, recently called for the US to close its consulate in Johannesburg if the city council proceeds with renaming Sandton Drive after Palestinian activist Leila Khaled.
Pollak, a senior editor at the right-wing US website Breitbart, issued a stark warning of a strong response from Washington if Sandton Drive is renamed after the first woman to ever hijack an aircraft.
He said the consulate’s future was in danger if the change went ahead.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) was also against the renaming of the street.
IOL previously reported that the party argued that the ANC and EFF were neglecting essential services in favour of renaming Sandton Drive.
“The city cannot afford basic services hence the adjustment of budgets passed today in council. Water pipe, streetlights, and pothole repairs are at a backlog of millions, and yet the city plans to waste millions on the renaming,” Lynda Shackleford, a ward councillor for Sandton said.
In response to the matter, the presidency said they were in talks with the city to find a way forward.
IOL Politics