South Africa Rebukes US Ambassador Over Public Criticism

South Africa’s government has formally reprimanded US Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell over his recent public criticism of Pretoria. The demarche followed a series of media statements in which Bozell criticized South Africa’s response to US demands, which include exemptions for US firms from black economic empowerment rules, scrapping expropriation without compensation, condemning the “Kill the Boer” chant, addressing farm murders, and not obstructing refugee status for Afrikaners. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has said his government has made progress on several issues, including black economic empowerment, farm security, and the US refugee program. Washington, however, maintains that Pretoria has not done enough and has imposed visa restrictions on unnamed South Africans involved in the disputed policies.