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

The South African government has summoned the new US ambassador after he made what they described as ''unacceptable'' observations concerning an anti-apartheid chant.

Leo Brent Bozell III, who assumed the role in recent weeks, sparked controversy by disagreeing with a court decision about the chant ''Kill The Farmer''. Some argue the chant amounts to hate speech, even though the highest court has ruled previously that it does not.

A official objection – known as a diplomatic note – was lodged by the government, which stated it took 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 remarks.

Forum Speech Sparks Controversy

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

One involved the debate over the chant. Bozell stated he did not care what the courts said – words that were interpreted as demonstrating a disrespect for the country's legal system.

He later retreated his stance, saying he was ''ready to engage with South Africa in a positive manner'' and that ''Washington honors the autonomy of South Africa's courts''.

Officials Responds Publicly

At a press conference on Wednesday, the South African government declared they had summoned the US ambassador to Pretoria to account for his latest inappropriate remarks.

Minister Ronald Lamola noted that the relationship between South Africa and the US was not one-sided. ''Substantial South African capital is invested in the US economy'', Lamola said.

''Mr Bozell expressed his regrets that these comments detracted from any impression that he wanted to work with us constructively'', stated Zane Dangor, the senior official of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

Wider Bilateral Strains

Relations between the US and South Africa have soured since US President Donald Trump assumed the presidency last year, with the two nations clashing over commerce, diplomacy and South Africa's strategic partnerships.

Trump has been vocally disapproving of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, accusing it of not safeguarding the country's minority white population and denouncing its land reform plans.

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

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