🔗 Share this article Recently Appointed US Envoy to South Africa Summoned Over ''Undiplomatic'' Comments The ambassador's statements about a contentious racial issue have been criticised as ''undiplomatic'' by the government. The Pretoria government has called in the new US ambassador following he made what they termed as ''unacceptable'' comments concerning an historical chant. Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role last month, 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 official objection – known as a demarche – 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 comments. Forum Address Sparks Dispute On Tuesday, Bozell addressed 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 stated he did not care what the courts said – comments that were interpreted as showing a disrespect for the country's legal system. He later retreated his stance, saying he was ''willing to work with South Africa constructively'' and that ''Washington honors the autonomy of South Africa's courts''. Officials Responds Openly At a media briefing on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to explain his recent inappropriate remarks. Minister Ronald Lamola added that the relationship between South Africa and the US was not one-sided. ''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 deteriorated since US President Donald Trump took office last year, with the two nations clashing over commerce, foreign policy and South Africa's strategic partnerships. Trump has been openly critical of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, accusing it of not safeguarding the country's white minority and denouncing its land redistribution 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 white genocide have been largely debunked and are not supported by credible proof. Tensions intensified last year when the US imposed the highest tariffs of any African country on South Africa.
The ambassador's statements about a contentious racial issue have been criticised as ''undiplomatic'' by the government. The Pretoria government has called in the new US ambassador following he made what they termed as ''unacceptable'' comments concerning an historical chant. Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role last month, 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 official objection – known as a demarche – 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 comments. Forum Address Sparks Dispute On Tuesday, Bozell addressed 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 stated he did not care what the courts said – comments that were interpreted as showing a disrespect for the country's legal system. He later retreated his stance, saying he was ''willing to work with South Africa constructively'' and that ''Washington honors the autonomy of South Africa's courts''. Officials Responds Openly At a media briefing on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to explain his recent inappropriate remarks. Minister Ronald Lamola added that the relationship between South Africa and the US was not one-sided. ''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 deteriorated since US President Donald Trump took office last year, with the two nations clashing over commerce, foreign policy and South Africa's strategic partnerships. Trump has been openly critical of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, accusing it of not safeguarding the country's white minority and denouncing its land redistribution 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 white genocide have been largely debunked and are not supported by credible proof. Tensions intensified last year when the US imposed the highest tariffs of any African country on South Africa.