🔗 Share this article Recently Appointed US Envoy to South Africa Summoned Over ''Inappropriate'' Remarks The ambassador's comments about a contentious racial issue have been labeled as ''undiplomatic'' by the authorities. The Pretoria government has called in the recently arrived US ambassador after he made what they termed as ''unacceptable'' observations regarding an historical chant. Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role in recent weeks, sparked controversy by disagreeing with a legal ruling about the chant ''Kill The Farmer''. Some argue the chant constitutes hate speech, although the Constitutional Court has ruled previously that it does not. A official objection – known as a diplomatic note – was issued by the government, which stated it took Bozell's comments ''very unfavorably''. He provided a clarification on Wednesday, and a representative of the department of international relations later said the ambassador had expressed regret and apologised for the remarks. Forum Speech Ignites Controversy On Tuesday, Bozell addressed a business meeting in the coastal town of Hermanus, presenting five issues he said South Africa required addressing. One involved 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 legal system. 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''. 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 undiplomatic remarks. Minister Ronald Lamola noted that the partnership between South Africa and the US was not one-sided. ''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. Wider Bilateral Tensions Ties between the US and South Africa have soured since US President Donald Trump took office last year, with the two sides clashing over trade, foreign policy and South Africa's strategic partnerships. Trump has been openly critical of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, accusing it of failing to protect the country's minority white population and criticising 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. Frictions intensified last year when the US levied the highest tariffs of any African country on South Africa.
The ambassador's comments about a contentious racial issue have been labeled as ''undiplomatic'' by the authorities. The Pretoria government has called in the recently arrived US ambassador after he made what they termed as ''unacceptable'' observations regarding an historical chant. Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role in recent weeks, sparked controversy by disagreeing with a legal ruling about the chant ''Kill The Farmer''. Some argue the chant constitutes hate speech, although the Constitutional Court has ruled previously that it does not. A official objection – known as a diplomatic note – was issued by the government, which stated it took Bozell's comments ''very unfavorably''. He provided a clarification on Wednesday, and a representative of the department of international relations later said the ambassador had expressed regret and apologised for the remarks. Forum Speech Ignites Controversy On Tuesday, Bozell addressed a business meeting in the coastal town of Hermanus, presenting five issues he said South Africa required addressing. One involved 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 legal system. 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''. 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 undiplomatic remarks. Minister Ronald Lamola noted that the partnership between South Africa and the US was not one-sided. ''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. Wider Bilateral Tensions Ties between the US and South Africa have soured since US President Donald Trump took office last year, with the two sides clashing over trade, foreign policy and South Africa's strategic partnerships. Trump has been openly critical of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, accusing it of failing to protect the country's minority white population and criticising 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. Frictions intensified last year when the US levied the highest tariffs of any African country on South Africa.