Ramaphosa Confirms Diplomatic Efforts To Engage With Us President

President Cyril Ramaphosa says he has on two occasions tried to reach out to the United States President, Donald Trump, diplomatically.

Answering questions in the National Assembly at Parliament in Cape Town, Ramaphosa says he started in Trumps capacity as US president-elect, as per protocol, and then sent South Africas Ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool.

Ramaphosa says, "For the election of President Trump Ramadan next year. I had a telephone call with him as President-elect of the US to congratulate him on his election and to reaffirm our own commitment as South Africa to strengthen our relationship between our two countries. Our ambassador Ebrahim Rasool has recently being posted in Washington DC for this second stint as our country envoy to the United States."

He says America remains an important diplomatic partner in its relations regardless of the current political impasse.

Ramaphosa says they will continue pursuing diplomatic cordial relations with the US. This is despite Trumps administration's decision to halt funding to the country.