South Africa summons US ambassador over 'undiplomatic remarks'

Additional by reporting AFP

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) says US ambassador Brent Bozell has already expressed regret over his remarks about South African courts.

International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola said earlier that they’ve moved to demarche Bozzell for what he called “undiplomatic remarks”.

Lamola told a press briefing on geopolitical developments that government has noted Bozzell’s public remarks, where he dismissed a court ruling over the "kill the boer" chant.

Speaking at a BizNews conference in Hermanus this week, Bozell labelled the chant hate speech and said he didn't care that South African courts declared the chant isn't hate speech.

"In this regard, we have called in the ambassador, Ambassador Bozell, to explain his undiplomatic remarks," said Lamola.

Bozell appeared to backtrack on Wednesday, saying on X: "I want to clarify that while my personal view, like that of many South Africans, is that 'Kill the Boer' constitutes hate speech, the U.S. government respects the independence and findings of South Africa's judiciary."

US President Donald Trump has used the slogan to back his unfounded claims of a white genocide in South Africa. At a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa in the White House in May last year, Trump showed clips of an opposition politician chanting the slogan.

Bozell also criticised South Africa's black economic empowerment policies, saying they led to "stagnation" that harmed the economy.

In response, Lamola said: "We reiterate that broad-based black economic empowerment is not reverse racism as regrettably insinuated by the ambassador."

"It is a fundamental instrument designed to address the structural imbalances of South Africa's unique history. It is a constitutional imperative that the South African government can and will never abandon," he said.

Meanwhile, DIRCO Director-General Zane Dangor said Bozzell has since apologised.

"Regarding the comments that were reported on yesterday, Mr Bozell expressed his regrets that his regrets that these comments detracted from any impression that he wanted to work with us constructively."