Ebrahim Rasool

Ebrahim Rasool
South African Ambassador to the United States
In office
4 August 2010 – 23 February 2015
President Jacob Zuma
Preceded by Welile Nhlapo
Succeeded by M. J. Mahlangu
5th Premier of the Western Cape
In office
22 April 2004 – 25 July 2008
Preceded by Marthinus van Schalkwyk
Succeeded by Lynne Brown
Personal details
Born (1962-07-15) 15 July 1962
Cape Town, Cape Province, South Africa
Political party African National Congress
Spouse(s) Rosieda Shabodien
Children 2
Parents Ismail and Aziza Rasool
Alma mater University of Cape Town

Ebrahim Rasool (born 15 July 1962) is a South African politician who also served as the South African Ambassador to the United States.[1] between 2010 and 2015. He was replaced by H.E. Ambassador Mninwa Mahlangu who presented his credentials to President Barack Obama on Monday, 23 February 2015. Ebrahim Rasool was the Premier of the Western Cape province from 2004 to 2008. He is a member of the African National Congress. [2] Whilst he was Premier Rasool launched an aggressive series of anti-gang policies that targeted gang members economic interests and stepped up police investigations into alleged gang leaders. Following the arrest of gang leader Quinton ‘Mr Big’ Marinus Rasool and then Western Cape Provincial Minister of Community Safety and political ally Leonard Ramatlakane started receiving death threats allegedly from the Chinese Triads.[3] This led Ramatlakane to controversially spend R347,716 of public money on security improvements to his home.[4]

On 14 July 2008, Rasool was recalled from the position of premier by the National Executive Committee of the ANC, as the ANC leadership had grown tired of giving preference to the large Muslim and Cape Coloured populations in the Western Cape.[5] His successor was Economic Development and Tourism MEC Lynne Brown.

In July 2010, Rasool was appointed South Africa's ambassador to the United States.

Controversy

In 2010 before being deployed to the United States an investigation was launched into allegations that Rasool was paying a political reporter in a mainstream newspaper to write articles that portrayed him favourably. This investigation is currently stalled due to material witnesses refusing to cooperate with the investigation.[6]

Bibliography

  • Rasool, Ebrahim (Winter 2010). "South African Muslims Over Three Centuries: From the Jaws of Islamophobia to the Joys of Equality" (PDF). Arches Quarterly. 4 (7): 147–154.

References

  1. ↑ "Ambassador's Biography". South African Embassy, Washington D.C. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  2. ↑ Jika, Thanduxolo. "Mr". News24. News24. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  3. ↑ Standing, Andre (3 August 2005). "The threat of gangs and anti-gangs policy Policy discussion paper". ISS. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  4. ↑ Joubert, Pearlie (28 August 2007). "Cape gangs: Targeting the untouchables". Mail and Guardian. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  5. ↑ Jika, Thanduxolo. News24. News24 http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Ebrahim-Rasool-explains-why-he-was-fired-20110117. Retrieved 20 June 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ "'Brown envelope' probe dropped". SAPA. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
Political offices
Preceded by
Marthinus van Schalkwyk		 Premier of the Western Cape
30 April 2004 – 25 July 2008		 Succeeded by
Lynne Brown
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