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

The Pretoria government has called in the recently arrived US ambassador following he made what they termed as ''undiplomatic'' observations regarding an historical 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''. Some argue the chant amounts to hate speech, even though the highest court has previously determined that it does not.

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

He issued a clarification on Wednesday, and a official of the department of international relations later said the ambassador had expressed regret and said sorry for the remarks.

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 stated he did not care what the courts said – comments that were interpreted as showing a lack of regard for the country's legal system.

He subsequently walked back 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''.

Government Responds Publicly

At a media briefing 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 noted that the relationship 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.

Broader Diplomatic Tensions

Ties 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 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 allegations of a white genocide have been largely debunked and lack reliable evidence.

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