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

The South African government has called in the recently arrived US ambassador following he made what they described as ''unacceptable'' comments regarding an anti-apartheid chant.

Leo Brent Bozell III, who assumed the role last month, sparked controversy by disagreeing with a legal ruling about the chant ''Kill The Farmer''. Certain groups claim the chant constitutes hate speech, although the highest court has ruled previously that it does not.

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

He issued a clarification on Wednesday, and a official of the department of international relations subsequently stated the ambassador had conveyed remorse and said sorry for the comments.

Business Meeting Speech Sparks Controversy

On Tuesday, Bozell spoke at a corporate forum in the coastal town of Hermanus, outlining five issues he said South Africa required addressing.

One centered on the debate over the chant. Bozell stated he did not care what the courts said – words that were taken as demonstrating a lack of regard for the country's legal system.

He later retreated his position, saying he was ''willing to work with South Africa constructively'' and that ''the US government respects the independence of South Africa's judiciary''.

Officials Reacts Openly

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

Minister Ronald Lamola added that the partnership between South Africa and the US was not one-sided. ''Substantial South African capital is invested in the US economy'', 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 Bilateral Tensions

Relations between the US and South Africa have soured after 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 openly critical of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, charging it with not safeguarding the country's white minority and criticising its land redistribution plans.

The South African government, meanwhile, has criticised the US decision to prioritise refugee applications from white Afrikaners, saying claims of a targeted persecution have been widely discredited and are not supported by credible proof.

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