New US Ambassador to South Africa Called In Over ''Undiplomatic'' Comments

The Pretoria government has summoned the recently arrived US ambassador after he made what they termed as ''unacceptable'' observations 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 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 demarche – was issued by the government, which stated it viewed Bozell's comments ''very unfavorably''.

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

Forum Speech Sparks 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 – comments that were interpreted as showing a lack of regard 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 press conference on Wednesday, the South African government announced they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to explain his recent undiplomatic remarks.

Minister Ronald Lamola added 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.

Broader Bilateral Strains

Relations between the US and South Africa have soured after 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 openly critical of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, charging it with failing to protect the country's white minority and denouncing its land reform plans.

The South African government, in turn, has criticised the US decision to give preference to refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying allegations of a white genocide have been widely discredited and lack reliable evidence.

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