Ebrahim Rasool

Who is Ebrahim Rasool?

Ebrahim Rasool is a South African politician who presently serves as the South African Ambassador to the United States. He was the Premier of the Western Cape province from 2004 to 2008. He is a member of the African National Congress.

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. This led Ramatlakane to controversially spend R347,716 of public money on security improvements to his home.

On 14 July 2008, Rasool was recalled from the position of premier by the National Executive Committee of the ANC, as a precursor to the recall of former President Thabo Mbeki. His successor was Economic Development and Tourism MEC Lynne Brown.

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