The United States has announced a new visa restriction policy targeting South African nationals responsible for, or complicit in, the enactment or implementation of laws or policies that enable uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination, and/or the incitement of imminent violence against any minority ethnic or racial group in South Africa. This move follows months of failed negotiations over five US demands aimed at addressing these issues and improving bilateral relations.
According to US Ambassador to South Africa, L Brent Bozell III, the US had been working with the South African government to address concerns over rural farm attacks, race-based measures forced upon American firms, and South Africa's drift toward US adversaries. In February 2025, President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14204 laid out these concerns in detail. The US delivered its concerns to the South African government in November 2025, known as the "Five Asks", which aimed to strengthen bilateral relations.
The "Five Asks" included requests that the South African government not interfere with the processing of Afrikaner refugees, that uncompensated land seizures not be allowed, and that the government condemn the singing of "Kill the Farmer! Kill the Boer!", which the US considers an incitement to violence. The US also requested that rural crime be formally designated a priority crime with a real plan to address it, and that alternatives be created to Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) ownership requirements.
Despite some initial progress, the US claims that the South African government failed to meaningfully respond to the final three "Asks" over the last nine months. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the new visa restriction policy on September 15, which targets foreign nationals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the enactment or implementation of laws or policies that enable uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination, and/or the incitement of imminent violence.
The US ambassador stated that President Ramaphosa formally responded to President Trump last week, but failed to address the outstanding concerns. The US considers this a clear indication that the South African government does not want a constructive relationship with the US. The visa restriction policy is seen as a calibrated and specific response, but the US ambassador warned that it may not be the last word on the matter.
The US has significant economic interests in South Africa, with American companies operating at real scale, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and investing in major infrastructure. The US claims that its disagreement is with the government that continues to put its ideology above its own people, and that a refusal to condemn the incitement of violence, provide protection to farmers, and loosen ownership rules stifling investment is shortsighted.
The US visa restriction policy has significant implications for South Africa, potentially affecting the country's economy and international relations. The South African government has not publicly responded to the US announcement, but it is likely to face pressure to address the US concerns and work towards a more constructive relationship with the US.
Key points
- The US has introduced visa restrictions targeting South African nationals linked to policies involving land expropriation, race-based regulations, and alleged incitement of violence.
- The US had been working with the South African government to address concerns over rural farm attacks, race-based measures, and South Africa's drift toward US adversaries.
- The visa restriction policy is a calibrated and specific response to the South African government's failure to address US concerns.
