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

The South African government has called in the new US ambassador after he made what they described as ''unacceptable'' comments regarding an anti-apartheid chant.

Leo Brent Bozell III, who assumed the role in recent weeks, sparked controversy by disagreeing with a legal ruling about the chant ''Kill The Farmer''. Some argue the chant amounts to hate speech, although the highest court has previously determined that it does not.

A official objection – known as a diplomatic note – was lodged by the government, which stated it viewed 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 comments.

Forum Speech Sparks Dispute

On Tuesday, Bozell spoke at a corporate forum in the coastal town of Hermanus, presenting five issues he said South Africa required addressing.

One involved the debate over the chant. Bozell remarked he did not care what the courts said – words that were interpreted as showing a lack of regard for the country's judiciary.

He later retreated his stance, saying he was ''ready to engage with South Africa in a positive manner'' and that ''Washington honors the autonomy of South Africa's courts''.

Officials Reacts Openly

At a media briefing on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to explain his recent undiplomatic 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 senior official of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

Broader Diplomatic Tensions

Relations between the US and South Africa have deteriorated since US President Donald Trump assumed the presidency last year, with the two sides disagreeing on trade, 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 criticising its land redistribution plans.

The South African government, in turn, has condemned the US decision to prioritise refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying allegations of a targeted persecution have been widely discredited and lack reliable evidence.

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