New US Envoy to South Africa Summoned Over ''Inappropriate'' Comments

The Pretoria government has called in the recently arrived US ambassador after he made what they described as ''unacceptable'' comments 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 Farmer''. Some argue the chant constitutes hate speech, even though the Constitutional Court has previously determined that it does not.

A formal protest – known as a demarche – was lodged by the government, which stated it took Bozell's comments ''very unfavorably''.

He provided a statement on Wednesday, and a official of the foreign ministry subsequently stated the ambassador had conveyed remorse and apologised for the comments.

Forum Address Sparks Dispute

On Tuesday, Bozell spoke at a corporate forum 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 stated he did not care what the courts said – words that were taken as showing a lack of regard for the country's judiciary.

He later retreated his stance, 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 Responds Openly

At a press conference on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had summoned the US ambassador to Pretoria to explain his latest inappropriate remarks.

Minister Ronald Lamola noted 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.

''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 Strains

Ties between the US and South Africa have deteriorated after US President Donald Trump assumed the presidency last year, with the two nations clashing over trade, foreign policy and South Africa's international alliances.

Trump has been openly critical of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, accusing it of not safeguarding the country's minority white population 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 white genocide have been widely discredited and lack reliable evidence.

Frictions intensified last year when the US levied the most severe import duties of any African country on South Africa.