Recently Appointed US Envoy to South Africa Called In Over ''Undiplomatic'' Comments
The Pretoria government has summoned the recently arrived US ambassador following he made what they described as ''undiplomatic'' observations concerning an anti-apartheid chant.
Leo Brent Bozell III, who assumed the role in recent weeks, sparked controversy by disagreeing with a legal ruling about the chant ''Kill The Boer''. Some argue the chant constitutes hate speech, even though the highest court has ruled previously that it does not.
A formal protest – known as a diplomatic note – was lodged by the government, which stated it viewed Bozell's comments ''with a very dim view''.
He provided a clarification on Wednesday, and a official of the department of international relations later said the ambassador had conveyed remorse and apologised for the remarks.
Forum Speech Ignites Dispute
On Tuesday, Bozell spoke at a corporate forum in the seaside resort of Hermanus, outlining five issues he said South Africa needed to fix.
One involved the debate over the chant. Bozell stated he did not care what the courts said – words that were taken as showing a disrespect for the country's legal system.
He subsequently walked back 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''.
Officials Responds Openly
At a press conference on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had summoned the US ambassador to Pretoria to explain his recent inappropriate remarks.
Minister Ronald Lamola added that the partnership between South Africa and the US was not one-sided. ''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 director-general of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
Broader Bilateral Tensions
Relations between the US and South Africa have soured since US President Donald Trump assumed the presidency last year, with the two sides clashing over trade, foreign policy and South Africa's international alliances.
Trump has been vocally disapproving of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, charging it with failing to protect the country's minority white population and criticising its land redistribution 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.
