The United States has signaled growing frustration with South Africa over unaddressed policy demands, with Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III warning that Washington’s patience is wearing thin. Speaking at a BizNews conference in Hermanus, Bozell highlighted five key requests made to the South African government, including condemning the anti-apartheid chant “Kill the Boer,” revisiting the Expropriation Act and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, prioritizing farm killings, maintaining non-alignment, and reconsidering legal action against Israel.
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Bozell emphasized that the lack of response, nearly a year after the requests were issued, increasingly reflects the South African government’s position. “As I’ve made clear in meetings I’ve had, the U.S. is running out of patience. We believe more and more it becomes a statement by the South African government when it doesn’t want to respond to simple questions we have,” he observed. He also characterized the “Kill the Boer” chant as hate speech, noting, “I’m sorry, I don’t care what your courts say. It’s hate speech.”
The ambassador encouraged the business community to speak openly about the impact of government policies, including BBBEE, and highlighted the significance of a level playing field for U.S. companies operating in South Africa. More than 500 U.S. firms employ over 250,000 South Africans, underscoring the economic stakes in bilateral relations, he remarked.
South Africa’s domestic political scene has reacted strongly. The Economic Freedom Fighters called for Bozell’s expulsion, asserting that his remarks undermine national sovereignty and disrespect South Africa’s judiciary, legislature, and presidency. African National Congress secretary general Fikile Mbalula maintained that U.S. threats to investment are unfounded and emphasized South Africa’s commitment to a multipolar world and international law.
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Relations between Washington and Pretoria have deteriorated since President Donald Trump’s return to office in January 2025, amid disputes over alleged treatment of white farmers, South Africa’s ties with Iran, and participation in the BRICS bloc. Bozell’s comments mark the latest episode in a series of diplomatic tensions that have drawn both international and domestic scrutiny.
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