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

The Pretoria government has summoned the recently arrived US ambassador following he made what they termed as ''unacceptable'' observations regarding an anti-apartheid chant.

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

A official objection – known as a demarche – was lodged by the government, which stated it took Bozell's comments ''with a very dim view''.

He issued 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 Dispute

On Tuesday, Bozell addressed a business meeting in the coastal town of Hermanus, outlining five issues he said South Africa required addressing.

One centered on the argument over the chant. Bozell remarked he did not care what the courts said – comments that were interpreted 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''.

Government Responds Openly

At a media briefing on Wednesday, the South African government announced 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. ''South African companies maintain a significant investment in the United States'', 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.

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, diplomacy and South Africa's international alliances.

Trump has been vocally disapproving 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, in turn, has criticised the US decision to prioritise refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying claims of a white genocide have been largely debunked and are not supported by credible proof.

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