New Diplomatic Tension… South Africa Summons the U.S. Ambassador in Pretoria

South Africa has summoned the newly appointed U.S. ambassador to Pretoria, Brent Beozil, less than a month after he assumed his post, following remarks the government described as “undiplomatic.”

Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said during a press conference that his government requested formal clarification from the ambassador regarding his recent statements.

The move comes amid a noticeable deterioration in bilateral relations, particularly after U.S. criticism of South Africa’s decision to file a case before the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza, in addition to Washington’s accusations of what it described as “restrictions” on the white minority.

Beozil sparked widespread controversy in his first public address since arriving in South Africa, when he criticized a historic anti-apartheid chant containing the phrase “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer,” arguing that it incites hatred—despite a previous ruling by South Africa’s judiciary confirming that the chant does not constitute hate speech when understood in its historical context. He also criticized government programs aimed at addressing the legacy of apartheid, claiming they have slowed economic growth.

Lamola responded by stressing that affirmative action policies are not “reverse racism,” but rather constitutional tools designed to correct deep historical imbalances, affirming that the government will not retreat from them.

This diplomatic dispute coincides with growing tensions in bilateral relations, as Pretoria has yet to appoint a new ambassador to Washington after the U.S. administration declared former South African ambassador Ebrahim Rasool persona non grata last year, describing him as “an instigator of racism.”