The expelled envoy at the heart of the latest US-South Africa row
South Africa's Ebrahim Rasool is an experienced politician and had been serving his second stint as ambassador in the US
As a veteran of the anti-apartheid struggle and himself a victim of the inequities of that racist system of government, Ebrahim Rasool was always unlikely to mince his words when it came to assessing the new US administration.
But in a message to family and friends, South Africa's top envoy in Washington sounded almost relaxed about the diplomatic ructions that he had caused.
Soon after it was announced at the weekend that he was going to be expelled from the US, Ambassador Rasool wrote that he and his family were "all packed up and looking forward to returning to South Africa" and said he was leaving the US with "no regrets".
On Friday, his prepared remarks ...