On March 23, a large crowd of supporters gathered at Cape Town International Airport to sing and celebrate the arrival of Rasool.
Due to the overwhelming number of people surrounding them, police had to escort Rasool and his wife, Rosieda, through the airport.
Addressing the crowd, Rasool expressed that being labeled “persona non grata” was intended to humiliate him, but the enthusiastic reception he received filled him with pride.
He urged his supporters to focus on mending South Africa’s relationship with the United States, despite his recent expulsion.
This expulsion followed accusations from former US President Donald Trump, who claimed that South Africa was backing Hamas and Iran while implementing policies he deemed anti-white. Last month, Trump issued an order to halt all US funding to South Africa.
Rasool refuted claims of being anti-American, asserting that South Africa should maintain its ties with the US.
He also stated that he had no regrets about his actions, even though returning home was not a choice he wanted to make.
These comments on March 23 marked his first public statements since US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced his expulsion over a week prior.
