South Africa has summoned US ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III for the third time in nine months, citing "undiplomatic conduct" after he publicly accused the government of ignoring President Donald Trump's demands on land, race policy, and farm safety. A senior Department of International Relations and Co-operation official confirmed that Bozell was issued with a démarche on Tuesday and called in to account for his actions. This latest diplomatic dressing-down comes amid strained relations between Pretoria and Washington.
The demands Bozell has pressed publicly include protecting private property rights, reversing the Expropriation Act, changing black economic empowerment policies, condemning the 'Kill the Boer' chant, and improving safety for farmers. Bozell delivered a message from Trump to President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria in late August, asking how South Africa was addressing these demands. Presidency spokesman Vincent Magwenya confirmed at the time that Ramaphosa would reply, but did not give a date.
Dirco's most recent formal statement on the dispute responded to visa restrictions announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The department said that the announcement mischaracterized South Africa's domestic policies and that it was the country's sovereign right to put in place laws addressing centuries of racial injustice. The statement also emphasized that challenges in bilateral relations with the US could only be resolved through constructive engagement between state actors.
The 'Kill the Boer' chant, a song sung during the Struggle against apartheid, has been a point of contention between the two countries. South African courts have ruled that singing it is not hate speech, but Bozell has expressed concerns about the chant, stating that he does not care what the courts have ruled and regards it as hate speech. This stance has contributed to the strained relations between the two nations.
This is not the first time Bozell has been summoned by Dirco. On March 11, less than a month after he arrived in the country, he was demarched for telling a business conference in Hermanus that he regarded the 'Kill the Boer' chant as hate speech, despite the courts' ruling. Dirco director-general Zane Dangor told a media briefing that Bozell had apologized and expressed regret, including for remarks that appeared to undermine the judiciary.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola welcomed public diplomacy but emphasized that it had to follow diplomatic rules. He stated that South Africa welcomed active public diplomacy and the strengthening of bilateral ties, but such engagements must remain consistent with established diplomatic etiquette and international protocols. Lamola also defended the country's black economic empowerment policies, saying they were not reverse racism.
The tensions between South Africa and the US have sparked debate about the countries' diplomatic relations and the US's stance on South Africa's domestic policies. As the two nations navigate their complex relationship, South Africa's diplomatic balancing act between the US and other countries will be crucial in determining the future of their relations.
Key points
- South Africa summons US ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III for "undiplomatic conduct".
- Tensions between Pretoria and Washington are at an all-time low over South Africa's domestic policies.
- The US has expressed concerns about South Africa's land, race policy, and farm safety.
