PRETORIA, Gauteng — US Ambassador to South Africa Leo Brent Bozell III has been summoned by Pretoria for the third time in nine months, significantly escalating diplomatic tensions between the two nations. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) called in the envoy to address what it described as “undiplomatic conduct,” highlighting a deepening rift in bilateral relations under the Trump administration.
The Diplomatic Reprimand and US Response
A US government official confirmed the latest demarche, noting that discussions centered on the state of bilateral relations. According to the official, Ambassador Bozell informed DIRCO that Washington is not interested in “diplomatic maneuvering” and that the ball is in South Africa’s court regarding the type of relationship it seeks with the Trump administration.
International relations expert Dr. Oscar van Heerden, attached to the University of Johannesburg, explained that a demarche is a highly serious diplomatic tool used by a host country to formally reprimand a foreign ambassador. “It basically is a very serious diplomatic reprimand which says that the host country is not happy with the ambassador, the embassy, or the embassy staff,” Dr. van Heerden noted, adding that this marks the third such summons for Bozell in less than a year.
Sovereignty vs. US Pressure
The current dispute was sparked by Ambassador Bozell’s extensive media tour and a published opinion piece in which he asserted that South Africa clearly does not want a constructive relationship with the United States. Earlier this year, he was also demarched following undiplomatic remarks regarding the country’s laws and judiciary.
Dr. van Heerden emphasized that South Africa is pushing back to defend its status as a sovereign, democratic nation with independent institutions. “We have independent institutions such as parliament who passes laws and the judiciary who enforces those laws, and we are not going to undermine those institutions because Trump says we must,” he stated.
While describing such pressure tactics as “normal” for the United States when dealing with smaller economies—citing historical examples involving Venezuela, Cuba, and Greenland—Dr. van Heerden stressed that South Africa must maintain its moral authority and insist on the sovereignty enshrined in international law and UN charters. He also pointed out that despite the Trump administration’s boycott of the G20 in Johannesburg, European allies broke ranks and attended, suggesting that South Africa’s diplomatic standing remains intact globally.
However, he warned that if Ambassador Bozell continues to publish op-eds criticizing the government and the president, Pretoria’s patience may run out, potentially leaving them with no option but to ask him to vacate his post.
The Role of Lobby Groups
The underlying strain in US-South Africa relations stems from lobby groups that successfully convinced the Trump administration that white farmers in South Africa were being targeted through violence, a claim Dr. van Heerden noted lacked evidence.
The head of AfriForum, Kallie Kriel, recently criticized DIRCO’s decision to summon the ambassador via social media, calling it a “very, very stupid move” that goes against the interests of ordinary South Africans, arguing that politicians will continue to enrich themselves while ordinary people bear the brunt of the diplomatic fallout.
Dr. van Heerden strongly rebutted this stance, arguing that Kriel and his colleagues, including Ernst Roets, are the architects of the current diplomatic crisis. He accused them of traveling to the United States to meet with lawmakers and share “lies” about targeted killings and persecutions.
“Kallie Kriel and his cohort need to come and explain to South Africans why they want the United States to take these punitive actions against ourselves,” Dr. van Heerden said, asserting that the only alternative they offer is “selling our souls and giving up our sovereignty and independence.”
