US-SA ties sink deeper as Bozell blasts Pretoria

South Africa’s already strained relationship with the United States has taken another turn, with Washington’s ambassador to South Africa accusing Pretoria of effectively rejecting a path to repairing bilateral ties.

US Ambassador to South Africa, Leo Brent Bozell III, has been summoned by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) for the third time in nine months, with Pretoria raising concerns over what it describes as “undiplomatic conduct”.

The latest diplomatic row follows a scathing Tuesday op-ed by Bozell, in which he says the US has spent the past nine months waiting for meaningful action from President Cyril Ramaphosa on Washington’s so-called “Five Asks”.

The demands were formally put to Pretoria in late 2025 amid growing tensions over land reform, race-based policies, rural crime and the treatment of Afrikaners seeking refugee status in the US. Bozell says only two of the five issues have been addressed.

Bozell says Washington asked Pretoria not to interfere with the processing of Afrikaners seeking resettlement in the US under President Donald Trump’s executive order. He says that matter is now “done”.

The second relates to South Africa’s Expropriation Act and Washington’s opposition to land being taken without compensation. The ambassador says the US is closely watching the legal process and remains optimistic that the courts will deliver what he describes as a fair outcome.

But the remaining three demands have become the latest point of contention between the two governments.

Washington wants Ramaphosa and senior officials to publicly condemn the “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer” chant, which Bozell says amounts to incitement against South Africa’s farming community.

It has also called for rural crime to be made a national priority, with Bozell saying the US is offering technical and financial assistance.

The final demand centres on Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, with Washington pushing for alternatives to ownership requirements in sectors including mining and telecommunications in a bid to encourage foreign investment.

Bozell says Ramaphosa failed to “meaningfully” address these issues during his engagement with US officials last week.

“It is safe to say my government was not just disappointed; it was shocked,” Bozell said, arguing that Pretoria’s response suggested it did not want a constructive relationship with Washington.

The ambassador has also thrown his weight behind Washington’s targeted visa restrictions against South Africans accused of being responsible for, or complicit in, policies linked to uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination and incitement of violence against minority groups.

Bozell has warned that the restrictions are only an initial measure, saying the US still has other options at its disposal.

Bozell says American companies are already creating hundreds of thousands of jobs in South Africa, while further investment in critical minerals, energy and telecommunications could be at stake if Washington’s concerns remain unresolved.

But the South African government maintains that it will not sacrifice its domestic policies or national interests to satisfy Washington.

Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, says South Africa is prepared to engage further, including on BEE, but insists the policy cannot simply be scrapped through an executive decision.

“BEE is part of our national legislation. You cannot just remove it on a whim,” Ntshavheni said, stressing that the policy forms a crucial part of the country’s transformation.

International Relations Minister, Ronald Lamola, has also rejected Washington’s narrative around the resettlement of Afrikaners, saying South Africa does have a serious crime problem, but that it affects people across racial lines.

“In South Africa, we have challenges of crime, which affect everyone,” Lamola said.

Pretoria has maintained that it remains open to dialogue with Washington, but that engagement must be based on sovereignty and mutual respect.

Read Ambassador Bozell’s latest Op-ed: https://t.co/JYvH7AmxSj pic.twitter.com/4jrbTGquDF

— U.S. Mission SA (@USEmbassySA) September 29, 2026

Bozell’s remarks have since sparked reaction online, with South Africans weighing in on the latest diplomatic clash.

South Africa has formally, once again, demarched US Ambassador to South Africa Leo Brent Bozell III, on September 29, 2026.

ANC could write a best seller on how to sink a country by shooting itself in the foot.

— Anton Pedantic (@AntonPedantic) September 30, 2026

Brent Bozell is doing S A an enormous favour. He’s going above and beyond the call of duty. A genuine diplomat showing up the crafty corrupt ANC govt what they are ~ racists.

— Janet Stead 🇬🇧 🇿🇦 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@kimberleypipet) September 30, 2026

The terrible face that has no place in South African politics.@BrentBozell FIRST presented his diplomatic credentials to Afriforum when he met them first time deployed.

Later @USAmbRSA Leo Brent Bozell presented his diplomatic credentials in Pretoria on the 23rd February 2026… pic.twitter.com/R8BliL8Sxp

— Phuthumile (@WatuJayP) September 30, 2026