🔗 Share this article Recently Appointed US Envoy to South Africa Summoned Over ''Inappropriate'' Comments Bozell's statements about a contentious societal issue have been criticised as ''undiplomatic'' by the government. The Pretoria government has summoned the new US ambassador after he made what they termed as ''unacceptable'' comments concerning an historical chant. Leo Brent Bozell III, who assumed the role last month, caused offence by questioning a legal ruling about the chant ''Kill The Boer''. Certain groups claim the chant amounts to hate speech, although the Constitutional Court has previously determined that it does not. A official objection – known as a diplomatic note – was issued by the government, which stated it viewed Bozell's comments ''with a very dim view''. He provided a clarification on Wednesday, and a official of the department of international relations later said the ambassador had conveyed remorse and apologised for the comments. Business Meeting Speech Sparks 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 involved the debate over the chant. Bozell remarked he did not care what the courts said – comments that were interpreted as showing a lack of regard 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 Responds Openly At a media briefing on Wednesday, the South African government announced they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his recent 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 senior official of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. Wider Diplomatic Strains Relations between the US and South Africa have soured since US President Donald Trump assumed the presidency last year, with the two nations clashing over trade, diplomacy and South Africa's international alliances. 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 condemned the US decision to give preference to refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying allegations of a white genocide have been largely debunked and are not supported by credible proof. Tensions deepened last year when the US imposed the most severe import duties of any African country on South Africa.
Bozell's statements about a contentious societal issue have been criticised as ''undiplomatic'' by the government. The Pretoria government has summoned the new US ambassador after he made what they termed as ''unacceptable'' comments concerning an historical chant. Leo Brent Bozell III, who assumed the role last month, caused offence by questioning a legal ruling about the chant ''Kill The Boer''. Certain groups claim the chant amounts to hate speech, although the Constitutional Court has previously determined that it does not. A official objection – known as a diplomatic note – was issued by the government, which stated it viewed Bozell's comments ''with a very dim view''. He provided a clarification on Wednesday, and a official of the department of international relations later said the ambassador had conveyed remorse and apologised for the comments. Business Meeting Speech Sparks 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 involved the debate over the chant. Bozell remarked he did not care what the courts said – comments that were interpreted as showing a lack of regard 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 Responds Openly At a media briefing on Wednesday, the South African government announced they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his recent 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 senior official of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. Wider Diplomatic Strains Relations between the US and South Africa have soured since US President Donald Trump assumed the presidency last year, with the two nations clashing over trade, diplomacy and South Africa's international alliances. 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 condemned the US decision to give preference to refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying allegations of a white genocide have been largely debunked and are not supported by credible proof. Tensions deepened last year when the US imposed the most severe import duties of any African country on South Africa.