🔗 Share this article New US Ambassador to South Africa Summoned Over ''Inappropriate'' Comments The ambassador's comments about a divisive racial issue have been criticised as ''undiplomatic'' by the government. The South African government has called in the new US ambassador after he made what they described as ''unacceptable'' observations regarding an anti-apartheid chant. Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role in recent weeks, caused offence by questioning 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 diplomatic note – was issued by the government, which stated it took Bozell's comments ''with a very dim view''. He issued a clarification on Wednesday, and a representative of the foreign ministry later said the ambassador had expressed regret and said sorry for the remarks. Forum Address Ignites Dispute On Tuesday, Bozell spoke at a business meeting in the coastal town of Hermanus, presenting 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 interpreted as showing a disrespect for the country's judiciary. He later retreated his position, saying he was ''willing to work with South Africa constructively'' and that ''Washington honors the autonomy of South Africa's courts''. Government Responds Openly At a press conference on Wednesday, the South African government announced they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his recent undiplomatic remarks. Minister Ronald Lamola noted that the relationship between South Africa and the US was mutual. ''Substantial South African capital is invested in the US economy'', Lamola said. ''Mr Bozell expressed his regrets that these comments detracted from any impression that he wanted to work with us constructively'', stated Zane Dangor, the senior official of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. Wider Bilateral Tensions Ties between the US and South Africa have deteriorated after US President Donald Trump took office last year, with the two nations clashing over trade, diplomacy and South Africa's international alliances. Trump has been vocally disapproving of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, charging it with not safeguarding the country's white minority and criticising its land reform plans. The South African government, meanwhile, has condemned the US decision to give preference to refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying claims of a targeted persecution have been largely debunked and are not supported by credible proof. Tensions deepened last year when the US levied the highest tariffs of any African country on South Africa.
The ambassador's comments about a divisive racial issue have been criticised as ''undiplomatic'' by the government. The South African government has called in the new US ambassador after he made what they described as ''unacceptable'' observations regarding an anti-apartheid chant. Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role in recent weeks, caused offence by questioning 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 diplomatic note – was issued by the government, which stated it took Bozell's comments ''with a very dim view''. He issued a clarification on Wednesday, and a representative of the foreign ministry later said the ambassador had expressed regret and said sorry for the remarks. Forum Address Ignites Dispute On Tuesday, Bozell spoke at a business meeting in the coastal town of Hermanus, presenting 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 interpreted as showing a disrespect for the country's judiciary. He later retreated his position, saying he was ''willing to work with South Africa constructively'' and that ''Washington honors the autonomy of South Africa's courts''. Government Responds Openly At a press conference on Wednesday, the South African government announced they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his recent undiplomatic remarks. Minister Ronald Lamola noted that the relationship between South Africa and the US was mutual. ''Substantial South African capital is invested in the US economy'', Lamola said. ''Mr Bozell expressed his regrets that these comments detracted from any impression that he wanted to work with us constructively'', stated Zane Dangor, the senior official of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. Wider Bilateral Tensions Ties between the US and South Africa have deteriorated after US President Donald Trump took office last year, with the two nations clashing over trade, diplomacy and South Africa's international alliances. Trump has been vocally disapproving of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, charging it with not safeguarding the country's white minority and criticising its land reform plans. The South African government, meanwhile, has condemned the US decision to give preference to refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying claims of a targeted persecution have been largely debunked and are not supported by credible proof. Tensions deepened last year when the US levied the highest tariffs of any African country on South Africa.