Bozell says no disrespect intended toward judiciary after 'objectively wrong' court comment

U.S. Ambassador Brent Bozell said he did not intend to undermine the South African judiciary when he criticised a court ruling on the “Kill the Boer” chant.

Less than a month into his tenure as America’s ambassador to South Africa, Bozell was reprimanded by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation for disparaging the Constitutional Court.

He previously said the chant amounts to hate speech and that the court ruling upholding the chant was “objectively wrong”.

Bozell, along with 19 other heads of mission, presented his letter of credence to President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria on Wednesday.

The letter formally recognises ambassadors to South Africa and serves to establish official diplomatic relations between their respective countries.

Speaking to journalists after presenting his credentials to President Cyril Ramaphosa, Bozell emphasised that his comments were not made with malice.

“I have the greatest respect for the judiciary. I say judges can be wrong, American judges are wrong all the time. That doesn’t mean I have no respect for the judiciary. I have complete respect for the American judicial system.”

Bozell also said he was optimistic about strengthening the fragile diplomatic relationship between Pretoria and Washington.

“We are two nations with great shared values and interests. It’s my goal during my time here to build on those shared interests and mutual respect, as well as to take our two nations to places they’ve never been before. I believe in the art of the possible, and I believe it will happen.”