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

The South African government has summoned the recently arrived US ambassador following he made what they termed as ''unacceptable'' comments regarding an historical chant.

Leo Brent Bozell III, who assumed the role last month, sparked controversy by disagreeing with a court decision about the chant ''Kill The Boer''. 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 provided a statement on Wednesday, and a representative of the department of international relations later said the ambassador had expressed regret and apologised for the remarks.

Forum Speech Ignites Controversy

On Tuesday, Bozell addressed a business meeting in the coastal town of Hermanus, presenting five issues he said South Africa needed to fix.

One involved the argument over the chant. Bozell stated he did not care what the courts said – words that were taken 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 ''the US government respects the independence of South Africa's judiciary''.

Officials Responds Openly

At a media briefing on Wednesday, the South African government announced they had called the US ambassador to Pretoria to explain his recent undiplomatic remarks.

Minister Ronald Lamola noted 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.

''The ambassador conveyed his regret that his statements undermined the constructive partnership he seeks'', 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 after US President Donald Trump took office last year, with the two nations clashing over commerce, diplomacy and South Africa's strategic partnerships.

Trump has been openly critical of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, accusing it of failing to protect the country's minority white population and criticising its land redistribution plans.

The South African government, meanwhile, has criticised the US decision to give preference to refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying claims of a white genocide have been widely discredited and lack reliable evidence.

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