Recently Appointed US Ambassador to South Africa Summoned Over ''Undiplomatic'' Remarks

The South African government has called in the recently arrived US ambassador after he made what they termed as ''undiplomatic'' comments concerning an anti-apartheid chant.

Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role in recent weeks, caused offence by questioning a court decision about the chant ''Kill The Farmer''. Some argue 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 issued by the government, which stated it took Bozell's comments ''very unfavorably''.

He provided a clarification on Wednesday, and a official of the foreign ministry later said the ambassador had expressed regret and apologised for the comments.

Forum Speech Sparks Controversy

On Tuesday, Bozell addressed a corporate forum in the coastal town of Hermanus, presenting 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 demonstrating a lack of regard for the country's judiciary.

He later retreated his stance, saying he was ''willing to work with South Africa constructively'' and that ''the US government respects the independence of South Africa's judiciary''.

Officials Responds Openly

At a media briefing on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his latest 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 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 assumed the presidency last year, with the two nations clashing over trade, foreign policy and South Africa's international alliances.

Trump has been openly critical of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, accusing it of not safeguarding the country's minority white population and denouncing its land reform plans.

The South African government, meanwhile, has condemned the US decision to prioritise refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying claims of a white genocide have been widely discredited and lack reliable evidence.

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