Just in: SA’s Govt Fires Back At the US & Its Ambassador Over Remark

United States ambassador to SA Brent Bozell is embroiled in his first diplomatic spat with the Union Buildings, just a few months after arriving in the country.

This comes after Bozell was “demarched” to Pretoria over his “undiplomatic remarks” about SA and its president.

International and co-operation minister Ronald Lamola, who wrapped Bozell over the knuckles along with the department’s director-general Zane Dangor, said they would continue to monitor Bozell’s public remarks and conduct.

Lamola warned that they would not hesitate to take further action against the controversial American figure, should there be no improvement in his conduct following their meeting with him on Wednesday.

Bozell, who was nominated by US President Donald Trump to be his new ambassador to Pretoria in December 2025, sparked a diplomatic furore after launching stringing attack on Pretoria.

Bozell said the US had previously presented South Africa with “five asks” (demands) which have not been responded to by the government more than a year later.

The requests included reconsidering the Expropriation Act and B-BBEE policies, condemning the “Kill the Boer” chant, prioritising farm murders to protect white farmers and be a non-aligned country.

Lamola described the remarks as “undiplomatic”.

Briefing the media on Wednesday, Lamola said Bozell, had acknowledged SA’s history and the need to address inequality and redress.

However, broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) was not reverse racism, as “regrettably insinuated” by the ambassador, he said.

“It is a fundamental instrument designed to address the structural imbalances of South Africa’s unique history. It is a constitutional imperative that the South African government can and will never abandon,” Lamola said.

Lamola said some of Bozell’s demands were raised during the White House meetings, and that SA has reiterated its position.

He also said SA remained committed to the rule of law and that the Expropriation Act was not intended to undermine property rights.

“Expropriation without compensation is a measure of last resort, subject to rigorous procedural safeguards and strictly limited to the five specific conditions outlined in Section 13 of the Act,” he said.

“These safeguards ensure that land reform is conducted in a manner that is just, equitable and sustainable.”

Lamola also rejected claims that rural crime targeted white farmers.

“It is not a phenomenon limited only to white people. It affects all South Africans — black, white, coloured and Indian,” he said.

He added that about 500 US companies currently operate in SA, employing more than 250,000 people.

“These firms operate in full compliance with our domestic laws, including assisting us to address historical injustice through legislated BEE equivalent programmes,” Lamola said.

“This is a mutually beneficial relationship. The bilateral trade between the two countries can grow, but we should not behave as if South Africa’s contribution is inconsequential to this relationship.”

Lamola said SA remained one of the largest importers of American products on the continent.

“As we cannot tell President Donald Trump how to deal with localisation in the United States, he [Bozell] also cannot tell us how to deal with our domestic issues of sovereignty,” he said.