Recently Appointed US Ambassador to South Africa Called In Over ''Inappropriate'' Remarks
The South African government has called in the new US ambassador after he made what they described as ''unacceptable'' observations concerning an anti-apartheid chant.
Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role last month, sparked controversy by questioning a court decision about the chant ''Kill The Farmer''. Certain groups claim the chant amounts to hate speech, even though the Constitutional Court has ruled previously that it does not.
A formal protest – known as a demarche – was lodged by the government, which stated it viewed Bozell's comments ''very unfavorably''.
He issued a clarification on Wednesday, and a official of the foreign ministry later said the ambassador had expressed regret and apologised for the comments.
Business Meeting 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 centered on the debate over the chant. Bozell remarked 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 position, saying he was ''ready to engage with South Africa in a positive manner'' 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 added that the partnership between South Africa and the US was mutual. ''South African companies maintain a significant investment in the United States'', 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 director-general of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
Broader Bilateral Tensions
Ties between the US and South Africa have soured after US President Donald Trump assumed the presidency last year, with the two sides clashing over commerce, foreign policy and South Africa's strategic partnerships.
Trump has been vocally disapproving of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, accusing it of not safeguarding the country's minority white population and denouncing its land redistribution 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 lack reliable evidence.
Tensions deepened last year when the US imposed the most severe import duties of any African country on South Africa.
