Ambassador expresses regret after DIRCO meeting
United States Ambassador to South Africa Brent Bozell has formally apologised and conveyed his regret following remarks widely regarded as a breach of diplomatic protocol, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) confirmed on Wednesday evening.
DIRCO Director-General Zane Dangor, addressing media at a briefing in Pretoria, revealed that government officials had summoned the Ambassador to discuss comments that had sparked widespread concern. According to Dangor, Bozell acknowledged that his statements had given the unfortunate impression that he lacked commitment to a productive relationship with Pretoria.
"He apologised and expressed regret, including for comments that appeared to undermine the judiciary," Dangor said.
The US diplomatic mission subsequently published a formal apology on its social media platforms. Dangor added that during the engagement, the Ambassador affirmed his recognition that South Africa's history necessitates redress policies and acknowledged the importance of measures designed to correct historical inequality. Bozell had recently toured significant heritage sites, including the Apartheid Museum and the District Six Museum, where he engaged with the nation's painful past.
Dangor also moved to dispel reports suggesting that Washington had formally communicated a set of "five demands" tied to ongoing negotiations between the two nations in the wake of unilateral tariffs imposed by the US. He further stated that no official request had been made for South Africa to exit the BRICS grouping, though he conceded that certain elements within the American administration view the bloc with suspicion.
Lamola underscores sovereign foreign policy and bilateral ties
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola, who also addressed the briefing, said the government encourages robust public diplomacy but insisted that all interactions must respect established diplomatic norms and international conventions.
"While South Africa welcomes active public diplomacy and the strengthening of bilateral ties, such engagements must remain consistent with established diplomatic etiquette and international protocols," Lamola said.
The Minister reaffirmed that the United States remains one of South Africa's most important strategic partners. Approximately 500 American firms currently have operations in the country, providing employment to more than 250 000 South Africans while adhering to local laws, including transformation legislation. The bilateral trade relationship between the two nations stands at roughly $15 billion, with South African businesses also holding substantial investments in the US, particularly within the energy and chemicals industries.
Lamola was emphatic in defending Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, describing it as an essential tool for dismantling the structural disparities inherited from the apartheid era.
"B-BBEE is not reverse racism. It is a fundamental instrument designed to address the structural imbalances of South Africa's unique history," he said.
On the question of South Africa's broader international positioning, Lamola reiterated that the country's foreign policy is firmly rooted in constitutional values, multilateralism and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. He stressed that Pretoria's non-aligned posture enables it to partner with all nations on the basis of international law, without being pulled into rivalries between global powers. South Africa, he said, determines its stance on each matter individually, guided by legal principles rather than allegiance to any particular geopolitical faction.
