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

The Pretoria government has summoned the recently arrived US ambassador after he made what they described as ''unacceptable'' observations concerning an historical chant.

Leo Brent Bozell III, who began the role last month, sparked controversy by questioning a legal ruling about the chant ''Kill The Boer''. Some argue the chant amounts to hate speech, although the highest court has ruled previously 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 statement on Wednesday, and a representative of the department of international relations subsequently stated the ambassador had conveyed remorse and apologised for the comments.

Business Meeting Address 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 involved the debate over the chant. Bozell stated he did not care what the courts said – comments that were interpreted as demonstrating a disrespect for the country's judiciary.

He later retreated his stance, saying he was ''willing to work with South Africa constructively'' and that ''Washington honors the autonomy of South Africa's courts''.

Officials Reacts Openly

At a press conference on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his recent undiplomatic remarks.

Minister Ronald Lamola added that the relationship between South Africa and the US was mutual. ''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.

Wider Bilateral Tensions

Relations between the US and South Africa have soured since US President Donald Trump took office last year, with the two nations disagreeing on commerce, foreign policy and South Africa's strategic partnerships.

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, meanwhile, has condemned the US decision to prioritise refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying claims of a targeted persecution have been widely discredited and lack reliable evidence.

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