🔗 Share this article Recently Appointed US Envoy to South Africa Called In Over ''Inappropriate'' Comments The ambassador's comments about a divisive racial issue have been labeled as ''undiplomatic'' by the authorities. The Pretoria government has summoned the recently arrived US ambassador after he made what they described as ''unacceptable'' comments concerning an historical chant. Leo Brent Bozell III, who assumed the role in recent weeks, sparked controversy by questioning a court decision about the chant ''Kill The Boer''. Some argue the chant constitutes hate speech, although the highest court has previously determined that it does not. A official objection – known as a demarche – was issued by the government, which stated it took Bozell's comments ''with a very dim view''. He provided a statement on Wednesday, and a representative of the department of international relations subsequently stated the ambassador had expressed regret and apologised for the remarks. Forum Address Ignites Controversy On Tuesday, Bozell spoke at a business meeting in the seaside resort of Hermanus, outlining five issues he said South Africa needed to fix. One centered on the debate over the chant. Bozell remarked he did not care what the courts said – comments that were interpreted as demonstrating a lack of regard for the country's legal system. He subsequently walked back his stance, saying he was ''willing to work with South Africa constructively'' and that ''the US government respects the independence of South Africa's judiciary''. Government Reacts Openly At a press conference on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his recent inappropriate remarks. Minister Ronald Lamola added that the relationship 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 Diplomatic Strains Ties between the US and South Africa have soured after US President Donald Trump assumed the presidency last year, with the two sides disagreeing on trade, foreign policy and South Africa's strategic partnerships. Trump has been openly critical of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, accusing it of failing to protect the country's minority white population and criticising its land redistribution plans. The South African government, in turn, has condemned the US decision to give preference to refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying claims of a targeted persecution have been widely discredited and lack reliable evidence. Tensions deepened last year when the US imposed the most severe import duties of any African country on South Africa.
The ambassador's comments about a divisive racial issue have been labeled as ''undiplomatic'' by the authorities. The Pretoria government has summoned the recently arrived US ambassador after he made what they described as ''unacceptable'' comments concerning an historical chant. Leo Brent Bozell III, who assumed the role in recent weeks, sparked controversy by questioning a court decision about the chant ''Kill The Boer''. Some argue the chant constitutes hate speech, although the highest court has previously determined that it does not. A official objection – known as a demarche – was issued by the government, which stated it took Bozell's comments ''with a very dim view''. He provided a statement on Wednesday, and a representative of the department of international relations subsequently stated the ambassador had expressed regret and apologised for the remarks. Forum Address Ignites Controversy On Tuesday, Bozell spoke at a business meeting in the seaside resort of Hermanus, outlining five issues he said South Africa needed to fix. One centered on the debate over the chant. Bozell remarked he did not care what the courts said – comments that were interpreted as demonstrating a lack of regard for the country's legal system. He subsequently walked back his stance, saying he was ''willing to work with South Africa constructively'' and that ''the US government respects the independence of South Africa's judiciary''. Government Reacts Openly At a press conference on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his recent inappropriate remarks. Minister Ronald Lamola added that the relationship 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 Diplomatic Strains Ties between the US and South Africa have soured after US President Donald Trump assumed the presidency last year, with the two sides disagreeing on trade, foreign policy and South Africa's strategic partnerships. Trump has been openly critical of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, accusing it of failing to protect the country's minority white population and criticising its land redistribution plans. The South African government, in turn, has condemned the US decision to give preference to refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying claims of a targeted persecution have been widely discredited and lack reliable evidence. Tensions deepened last year when the US imposed the most severe import duties of any African country on South Africa.