Recently Appointed US Ambassador to South Africa Summoned Over ''Inappropriate'' Comments
The Pretoria government has called in the new US ambassador following he made what they termed as ''unacceptable'' observations concerning an historical chant.
Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role last month, sparked controversy by disagreeing with a court decision about the chant ''Kill The Boer''. Some argue the chant amounts to hate speech, even though the Constitutional Court has ruled previously that it does not.
A official objection – known as a diplomatic note – was lodged by the government, which stated it took Bozell's comments ''very unfavorably''.
He issued a clarification on Wednesday, and a representative of the department of international relations later said the ambassador had expressed regret and apologised for the remarks.
Business Meeting Address Sparks Controversy
On Tuesday, Bozell spoke at a corporate forum in the coastal town of Hermanus, outlining five issues he said South Africa required addressing.
One involved the argument over the chant. Bozell remarked he did not care what the courts said – words that were interpreted as demonstrating a lack of regard for the country's judiciary.
He subsequently walked back his stance, saying he was ''willing to work with South Africa constructively'' and that ''Washington honors the autonomy of South Africa's courts''.
Officials Reacts Openly
At a press conference on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had summoned the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his recent undiplomatic remarks.
Minister Ronald Lamola noted that the partnership between South Africa and the US was mutual. ''South African companies maintain a significant investment in the United States'', 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 Diplomatic Strains
Ties between the US and South Africa have deteriorated after US President Donald Trump assumed the presidency last year, with the two sides clashing over commerce, foreign policy and South Africa's strategic partnerships.
Trump has been vocally disapproving of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, charging it with not safeguarding the country's white minority and denouncing its land reform plans.
The South African government, in turn, has criticised the US decision to prioritise refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying claims of a targeted persecution have been widely discredited and lack reliable evidence.
Tensions intensified last year when the US imposed the most severe import duties of any African country on South Africa.
