US doubles down on South Africa after Pretoria reprimands Ambassador Bozell -.The United States has refused to ease pressure on South Africa after Pretoria formally reprimanded US Ambassador Brent Bozell for the third time, accusing him of undiplomatic conduct.
South Africa’s foreign ministry summoned Bozell on Tuesday and told him to stick to proper diplomatic behaviour. It was the third formal protest against him since he arrived in February.
Washington’s response was blunt. A State Department spokesperson said the US is “not interested in dialogue for its own sake” and that the future of the relationship now depends on Pretoria.
The US is still demanding that South Africa fully address President Trump’s executive order. Specifically, Washington wants Pretoria to:
- Stop uncompensated land seizures
- Roll back race-based economic policies, including BEE rules that affect American companies
- Publicly condemn the “Kill the Boer” chant
- Treat rural crime and farm attacks as a national priority
- Stop interfering with the US programme that processes Afrikaner refugees
The US has already imposed visa restrictions on South Africans it says are involved in land seizures, racial discrimination or inciting violence. South Africa rejects those claims and says its policies are about fixing apartheid-era inequalities.
Despite the third reprimand of its ambassador, the United States is showing no signs of backing down.