New US Envoy to South Africa Summoned Over ''Undiplomatic'' Remarks
The Pretoria government has summoned the recently arrived US ambassador after he made what they described as ''unacceptable'' comments regarding an historical chant.
Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role in recent weeks, sparked controversy by disagreeing with a legal ruling about the chant ''Kill The Boer''. Certain groups claim the chant constitutes hate speech, even though the Constitutional Court has previously determined that it does not.
A official objection – known as a demarche – was lodged by the government, which stated it viewed Bozell's comments ''very unfavorably''.
He issued a statement on Wednesday, and a official of the foreign ministry subsequently stated the ambassador had conveyed remorse and apologised for the comments.
Forum Speech Ignites Controversy
On Tuesday, Bozell addressed a business meeting in the coastal town of Hermanus, outlining five issues he said South Africa needed to fix.
One centered on the argument over the chant. Bozell stated he did not care what the courts said – comments that were interpreted as showing a lack of regard for the country's judiciary.
He later retreated his stance, saying he was ''ready to engage with South Africa in a positive manner'' and that ''Washington honors the autonomy of South Africa's courts''.
Government Responds Publicly
At a press conference on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his latest undiplomatic remarks.
Minister Ronald Lamola noted that the partnership between South Africa and the US was mutual. ''Substantial South African capital is invested in the US economy'', Lamola said.
''The ambassador conveyed his regret that his statements undermined the constructive partnership he seeks'', stated Zane Dangor, the senior official of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
Broader Bilateral Strains
Relations between the US and South Africa have deteriorated since US President Donald Trump assumed the presidency last year, with the two sides clashing over trade, diplomacy and South Africa's strategic partnerships.
Trump has been openly critical of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, charging it with failing to protect the country's white minority and criticising its land reform plans.
The South African government, meanwhile, has condemned the US decision to prioritise refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying claims of a white genocide have been widely discredited and are not supported by credible proof.
Frictions deepened last year when the US imposed the most severe import duties of any African country on South Africa.
