Recently Appointed US Envoy to South Africa Summoned Over ''Undiplomatic'' Comments
The Pretoria government has summoned the new US ambassador following he made what they termed as ''unacceptable'' observations regarding an historical chant.
Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role in recent weeks, caused offence by disagreeing with a legal ruling 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 demarche – was lodged by the government, which stated it took Bozell's comments ''very unfavorably''.
He provided a clarification on Wednesday, and a official of the foreign ministry later said the ambassador had expressed regret and said sorry for the remarks.
Business Meeting Speech Ignites Controversy
On Tuesday, Bozell addressed a corporate forum in the seaside resort 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 legal system.
He subsequently walked back his position, saying he was ''willing to work with South Africa constructively'' and that ''the US government respects the independence of South Africa's judiciary''.
Officials Reacts Openly
At a media briefing on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had summoned the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his latest inappropriate remarks.
Minister Ronald Lamola noted that the relationship 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.
Wider Bilateral Strains
Relations between the US and South Africa have soured since US President Donald Trump assumed the presidency last year, with the two sides disagreeing on 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 white minority and denouncing its land reform plans.
The South African government, in turn, has criticised 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.
Frictions intensified last year when the US levied the highest tariffs of any African country on South Africa.
