Gerhardus Petrus Jooste

Gerhardus Petrus Jooste entered the South African civil service in 1924. He worked with the finance minister and represented South Africa to the Belgian government in Brussels and London. At the Department of External Affairs, his responsibilities covered economic, political, and protocol affairs. He presented credentials as ambassador in Washington on 28 September 1949 and also represented South Africa at the United Nations. ^{2, 1}

On 24 June 1952 Jooste and acting secretary of state David Bruce signed an agreement governing American support for South African forces in Korea. It covered equipment, supplies, services, and facilities that South Africa could not readily provide itself, with reimbursement in U.S. dollars. Certain scarce or specialized equipment could be recalled by the United States; the arrangement also provided for the waiver of certain claims. ³

That October, Jooste asked Dean Acheson to support a separate United Nations vote on whether the organization had authority to consider South Africa’s racial policies. He hoped a procedural decision would prevent debate on the substance of apartheid. Acheson doubted that this would avoid controversy and maintained that the General Assembly could examine the issue. Jooste warned that discussion at the United Nations could encourage the passive resistance movement in South Africa. ⁴

His Washington service ended on 18 October 1954. Jooste subsequently became high commissioner in London and secretary for external affairs, before serving as a special adviser to the prime minister and foreign minister. ^{5, 2}