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

The Pretoria government has summoned the new US ambassador after he made what they termed as ''unacceptable'' observations concerning an historical chant.

Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role last month, sparked controversy by disagreeing with a court decision about the chant ''Kill The Farmer''. Some argue the chant constitutes hate speech, even though the Constitutional Court has previously determined that it does not.

A official objection – known as a demarche – was lodged by the government, which stated it took Bozell's comments ''very unfavorably''.

He issued 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.

Business Meeting Address Ignites Dispute

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

One involved the argument over the chant. Bozell remarked he did not care what the courts said – words that were taken as showing a disrespect for the country's judiciary.

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''.

Government Responds Publicly

At a media briefing on Wednesday, the South African government announced they had summoned the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his recent undiplomatic remarks.

Minister Ronald Lamola added that the partnership between South Africa and the US was not one-sided. ''Substantial South African capital is invested in the US economy'', 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

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 commerce, diplomacy and South Africa's international alliances.

Trump has been vocally disapproving of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, charging it with failing to protect the country's minority white population and criticising its land redistribution plans.

The South African government, meanwhile, has criticised the US decision to prioritise refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying claims of a white genocide have been largely debunked 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.