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

The Pretoria government has called in the new US ambassador following he made what they termed as ''unacceptable'' observations regarding an anti-apartheid 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 Boer''. Certain groups claim the chant amounts to hate speech, even though the Constitutional Court has ruled previously that it does not.

A official objection – known as a diplomatic note – was lodged by the government, which stated it viewed Bozell's comments ''with a very dim view''.

He issued a clarification on Wednesday, and a official of the foreign ministry subsequently stated the ambassador had expressed regret and said sorry for the comments.

Business Meeting Speech Sparks Controversy

On Tuesday, Bozell spoke at a business meeting in the seaside resort of Hermanus, presenting five issues he said South Africa needed to fix.

One centered on the debate over the chant. Bozell remarked he did not care what the courts said – words that were interpreted as showing a lack of regard 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 ''Washington honors the autonomy of South Africa's courts''.

Officials Responds Publicly

At a press conference on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to explain his recent undiplomatic remarks.

Minister Ronald Lamola noted that the relationship between South Africa and the US was mutual. ''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 Bilateral Tensions

Relations between the US and South Africa have deteriorated since US President Donald Trump took office last year, with the two sides clashing over commerce, 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 denouncing its land redistribution plans.

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

Tensions intensified last year when the US levied the highest tariffs of any African country on South Africa.