Recently Appointed US Ambassador to South Africa Summoned Over ''Inappropriate'' Comments
The South African government has called in the new US ambassador following he made what they described as ''undiplomatic'' comments concerning an historical chant.
Leo Brent Bozell III, who assumed the role last month, sparked controversy by questioning a legal ruling about the chant ''Kill The Farmer''. Certain groups claim the chant amounts to hate speech, even though the highest 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 ''with a very dim view''.
He provided a statement on Wednesday, and a official of the department of international relations later said the ambassador had conveyed remorse and apologised for the remarks.
Business Meeting Address Ignites Controversy
On Tuesday, Bozell spoke at a corporate forum in the coastal town of Hermanus, outlining five issues he said South Africa required addressing.
One involved the argument over the chant. Bozell remarked he did not care what the courts said – comments that were taken as demonstrating a disrespect for the country's legal system.
He subsequently walked back his position, saying he was ''willing to work with South Africa constructively'' and that ''Washington honors the autonomy of South Africa's courts''.
Officials Reacts Openly
At a press conference on Wednesday, the South African government announced they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to explain his latest inappropriate 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.
''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 Diplomatic Tensions
Ties between the US and South Africa have soured after US President Donald Trump assumed the presidency last year, with the two sides disagreeing on trade, diplomacy 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 criticising its land redistribution plans.
The South African government, meanwhile, has condemned the US decision to prioritise refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying allegations of a targeted persecution 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.
