South Africa issued a diplomatic protest to the new US ambassador to Pretoria over his recent criticism of the government, ratcheting up tensions between the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation conveyed the d\u00e9marche to Leo Brent Bozell on Wednesday, with Ronald Lamola, South Africa\u2019s foreign minister, confirming the move. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have called in the ambassador of the United States, Ambassador Bozell, to explain his undiplomatic remarks,\u201d Lamola told a media briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Relations between South Africa and the US have deteriorated sharply since Donald Trump\u2019s return to the White House last year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The American president has falsely accused Pretoria of subjecting White farmers to a genocide and seizing their land, denounced its relations with Iran and Hamas, and rejected its Black economic-empowerment policies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bozell has doubled down on the criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe reiterate that broad-based Black economic empowerment is not reverse racism, as regrettably insinuated by the ambassador,” Lamola said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It is a fundamental instrument designed to address the structural imbalances of South Africa\u2019s unique history.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs we cannot tell President Trump how to deal with localisation in the US, he also can\u2019t tell us how to deal with our domestic issues of sovereignty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zane Dangor, the director-general of South Africa\u2019s international relations department, said Bozell later expressed regret over his public comments and reaffirmed his commitment to a constructive engagement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
US Embassy spokesman Rubani Trimiew didn\u2019t answer calls or respond to a request for comment sent by text message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bozell, 70, was a controversial choice for ambassador, having opposed<\/a> efforts by the African National Congress \u2014 the biggest political party in the coalition government led by President Cyril Ramaphosa \u2014 to overturn apartheid in the 1980s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n