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

The Pretoria government has called in the new US ambassador following he made what they described as ''unacceptable'' comments concerning an historical chant.

Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role in recent weeks, sparked controversy by disagreeing with a court decision about the chant ''Kill The Farmer''. Some argue the chant amounts to hate speech, although 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 viewed Bozell's comments ''very unfavorably''.

He issued a statement on Wednesday, and a official of the department of international relations subsequently stated the ambassador had conveyed remorse and apologised for the remarks.

Forum Speech Ignites Controversy

On Tuesday, Bozell spoke at a business meeting in the coastal town of Hermanus, presenting five issues he said South Africa required addressing.

One centered on the debate over the chant. Bozell stated he did not care what the courts said – words that were taken as demonstrating a disrespect for the country's legal system.

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 Publicly

At a media briefing on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his latest inappropriate remarks.

Minister Ronald Lamola noted 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 director-general of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

Wider Bilateral Tensions

Relations between the US and South Africa have soured since US President Donald Trump took office last year, with the two nations disagreeing on trade, diplomacy and South Africa's strategic partnerships.

Trump has been vocally disapproving of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, charging it with not safeguarding the country's minority white population and criticising its land reform plans.

The South African government, in turn, has criticised the US decision to prioritise refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying claims of a white genocide have been widely discredited and are not supported by credible proof.

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