Recently Appointed US Ambassador to South Africa Called In Over ''Inappropriate'' Remarks

The Pretoria government has called in the new US ambassador after he made what they termed as ''undiplomatic'' observations concerning an anti-apartheid chant.

Leo Brent Bozell III, who assumed the role last month, sparked controversy by questioning a court decision about the chant ''Kill The Boer''. Certain groups claim the chant amounts to hate speech, although the highest court has previously determined that it does not.

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

He provided a statement on Wednesday, and a official of the department of international relations subsequently stated the ambassador had expressed regret and apologised for the comments.

Business Meeting Speech Ignites Dispute

On Tuesday, Bozell addressed a corporate forum in the coastal town of Hermanus, outlining five issues he said South Africa needed to fix.

One centered on the debate over the chant. Bozell stated he did not care what the courts said – comments that were interpreted as showing a disrespect for the country's judiciary.

He subsequently walked back his stance, saying he was ''ready to engage with South Africa in a positive manner'' and that ''the US government respects the independence of South Africa's judiciary''.

Government Reacts Publicly

At a press conference on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had summoned the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his recent inappropriate 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 senior official of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

Broader 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, foreign policy and South Africa's strategic partnerships.

Trump has been openly critical 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, meanwhile, has criticised the US decision to prioritise refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying allegations of a targeted persecution have been widely discredited and lack reliable evidence.

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