South Africa’s government summoned the new U.S. ambassador, Leo Brent Bozell III, to explain his “undiplomatic remarks,” Foreign Affairs Minister Ronald Lamola said on Wednesday.
Bozell, a conservative activist and writer, arrived in Pretoria last month as U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy. Relations between the two countries have soured during Trump’s second term, with the U.S. leader criticizing South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment policies and its genocide case against Israel at the World Court. Israel rejects the case, citing its military operations in Gaza.
The controversy erupted after Bozell, speaking at a conference on Tuesday, described the South African liberation chant “Kill the Boer” as hate speech, dismissing local court rulings that it does not constitute such speech. “I’m sorry, I don’t care what your courts say. It’s hate speech,” he said.
Ronald Lamola told reporters that the comments were seen as undermining South Africa’s judiciary and its historical context. Senior foreign affairs official Zane Dangor confirmed that Bozell had apologized and expressed regret over his remarks.
Lamola emphasized that the ambassador’s role is to help build unity rather than deepen racial polarization. “His role as a guest is to support us to build one nation… he must not take us back to a polarized society along racial lines,” Lamola said.
South Africa continues to pursue a non-aligned foreign policy, while Trump has accused the country of taking “aggressive positions” toward Washington and its allies.
