South Africa summons US ambassador over remarks on racial policies and court rulings

South Africa summoned the United States ambassador, Brent Bozell, over remarks criticizing the country’s racial policies and court rulings. Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said the comments were undiplomatic, while the ambassador later clarified that the US respects the independence of South Africa’s judiciary.

The government of South Africa summoned the newly appointed ambassador of the United States on Wednesday to seek clarification over remarks it described as undiplomatic regarding South Africa’s racial policies and judicial decisions. The country’s foreign minister said the comments had raised concerns within the government.
The ambassador, Brent Bozell, only assumed his diplomatic post last month at a time when relations between the two countries were already strained. Tensions between Pretoria and Washington have been growing over several issues, including South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, a close ally of the United States, and claims by former US President Donald Trump that white Afrikaners in South Africa are facing persecution.
During his first public speech on Tuesday, Bozell described the controversial apartheid-era chant “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer” as hate speech. He also criticised policies implemented by the South African government to empower black citizens and address inequalities created during decades of racial segregation.
Speaking to journalists, South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola confirmed that the ambassador had been summoned by the government. Lamola said the meeting was intended to allow Bozell to explain the comments that officials viewed as inappropriate for a diplomat.
The chant has been a subject of political debate in South Africa for years. Former US President Donald Trump has cited it as evidence supporting his claims that white South Africans are victims of what he has described as a “white genocide.” Trump previously displayed video clips of the chant during a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House in May last year.
However, South African courts have ruled that the chant does not qualify as hate speech under the law. Judges determined that the phrase should be interpreted within the historical context of the anti-apartheid struggle that led to the end of white minority rule in 1994.
Despite these rulings, Bozell expressed disagreement during a meeting with business leaders on Tuesday. He stated that, regardless of the court’s interpretation, he personally regarded the chant as hate speech.
On Wednesday, the ambassador appeared to soften his earlier stance in a message posted on the social media platform X. He clarified that while he personally believed the chant constituted hate speech, the US government respects the independence of South Africa’s judiciary and acknowledges its legal decisions.
Bozell also criticised South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment policies during his address. These policies are designed to correct economic inequalities created by apartheid by increasing the participation of black South Africans in the economy. The ambassador suggested that such policies could discourage investment and compared them with racial laws that existed during the apartheid era.
In his remarks, Bozell claimed that there were 147 laws that discriminated against black South Africans during apartheid and suggested that a similar number of laws now discriminate against white citizens. Analysts and officials have described this claim as inaccurate.
Responding to the comments, Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola defended the government’s policies. He said the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment programme is not an example of reverse racism, as the ambassador had implied.
Lamola explained that the policy is intended to address deep structural inequalities created by South Africa’s unique historical experience under apartheid. He emphasised that the programme is supported by the country’s constitution and remains an important tool for promoting fairness and economic inclusion.
The foreign minister also warned that the ambassador should avoid statements that could deepen racial divisions within the country. Lamola said Bozell’s role as a diplomatic representative should be to support South Africa’s efforts to build unity rather than revive tensions from the past.
He added that the ambassador must not contribute to returning the country to a polarised society divided along racial lines. According to Lamola, Bozell should respect the progress South Africa has made in building a single, inclusive nation.
During his confirmation hearing before the US Senate in October, Bozell indicated that he intended to press the South African government to drop its genocide case against Israel. He also said he would promote Donald Trump’s proposal to offer refugee status in the United States to members of South Africa’s white Afrikaner minority.