List of ambassadors of South Africa to the United States

The position of South African ambassador to the United States is the most prestigious and top diplomatic post in South Africa. The position was first held in March 1949, following the upgrade of South Africa's diplomatic mission to an embassy. The post has been held by many important politicians and was most recently held by Nomaindia Mfeketo.

South African Embassy

#	Picture	Name	Term of office	Prime Minister/State President(s)/President(s) served under	Ref
1		Harry Thomson Andrews	1 March 1949- 26 September 1949	Daniel François Malan (NP)	[1]
2		Gerhardus Petrus Jooste	26 September 1949- 26 August 1954		[1]
3		John Edward Holloway	26 August 1954- 7 August 1956	Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom (NP)	[1]
4		Wentzel Christoffel du Plessis [2]	7 August 1956- 13 September 1960	Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom (NP) Hendrik Verwoerd (NP)	[1]
5		Willem Christiaan Naude	13 September 1960- 9 February 1965	Hendrik Verwoerd (NP)	[1]
6		Harald Langmead Taylor Taswell [3]	9 February 1965- 18 August 1971	B. J. Vorster (NP)	[1]
7		Johan Samuel Frederick Botha	18 August 1971- 30 July 1975		[1]
8		Pik Botha	30 July 1975- 11 May 1977		[1]
9		Donald Bell Sole	11 May 1977- 4 June 1982	Pieter Willem Botha (NP)	[1]
10		Bernardus Gerhardus Fourie	4 June 1982- 23 September 1985		[1]
11		Johannes Albertus Hermanus Beukes	23 September 1985- 1 May 1987		[1]
12		Piet Koornhof	1 May 1987- 6 March 1991	Pieter Willem Botha (NP) Frederik Willem de Klerk (NP)	[1]
13		Harry Schwarz	6 March 1991- 12 January 1995	Frederik Willem de Klerk (NP) Nelson Mandela (ANC)	[1]
14		Franklin A. Sonn	12 January 1995- 8 March 1999	Nelson Mandela (ANC)	[1]
15		Sheila Sisulu	8 March 1999- 28 August 2003	Thabo Mbeki (ANC)	[1]
16		Barbara Masekela	28 August 2003- 14 August 2007		[1]
17		Welile Nhlapo	14 August 2007- 4 August 2010		[1]
				Kgalema Motlanthe (ANC)
				Jacob Zuma (ANC)
18		Ebrahim Rasool	4 August 2010- 23 February 2015	Jacob Zuma (ANC)	[1]
19		M. J. Mahlangu	23 February 2015 – March 2020	Jacob Zuma (ANC)
20		Nomaindia Mfeketo	March 2020 – August 2023	Cyril Ramaphosa (ANC)
21		Ndumiso Ntshinga	5 November 2023 – current	Cyril Ramaphosa (ANC)	[4] [5]

See also

• Embassy of South Africa in Washington, D.C.

References

1. "Diplomatic Representation for South Africa. Foreign Embassies in the U.S. and Their Ambassadors". U.S. State Department. 2007. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
2. Wentzel Christoffel du Plessis b. 5 March 1906; m. Marie During 1934; one d. ed. Transvaal Univ. Coll. In Dept. of Lands 1924-1927, Dept. of External Affairs 1927- 1945; Admin. Sec. SA Del. to Imperial Conf. From 1 December 1963 to 1 November 1968: List of colonial heads of Namibia (South-West Africa)
3. Harald Langmead Taylor Taswell b. 14 Feb. 1910, Cape Town; s. of Stephen Taswell and Helen Simkins; m. Vera Blytt 1940; three d.; ed. Christian Brothers Coll.
4. South African Embassy, Washington D.C (5 November 2023). "Announcement". X/Twitter. Retrieved 7 May 2024. The former Ambassador of South Africa to Ethiopia, Kenya and China, Mr Ndumiso Ndima Ntshinga, is now the Chargé d'Affaires ad interim at the Embassy of South Africa in Washington DC.
5. Ogongo, Stephen (18 November 2023). "Ambassador Ndumiso Ntshinga appointed head of mission at South African Embassy in Washington DC" (online news). africalifestyle.com. New European Media Ltd. Retrieved 7 May 2024. Ndumiso Ntshinga, the former Ambassador of South Africa to Ethiopia, Kenya and China, has been appointed head of mission at the South African Embassy in Washington DC. He succeeds Ambassador Nomaindia Mfeketo who recently stepped down as South Africa's ambassador to the US.