South Africa has fired the US ambassador in Pretoria over recent criticism of the country, escalating tensions between the two countries.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) informed Brent Bozell of the diplomatic protest on Wednesday, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the information is not public.
U.S. Embassy spokesman Rubani Trimiv did not return calls or respond to a request for comment sent by text message. A Dirco spokesperson was not available for comment.
Relations between South Africa and the US have deteriorated sharply since Donald Trump began his second term last year, with the US president falsely accusing South Africa of massacring white farmers and confiscating their land and criticizing its ties to Iran and Hamas.
Bozell, 70, was a controversial choice for ambassador, having opposed efforts by the ANC, the largest political party in the coalition government led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, to end apartheid in the 1980s.
'Trump's patience is running out'
The ambassador warned on Tuesday that Trump was running out of patience with Pretoria over his failure to address demands for changes to Washington's domestic and foreign policies, Johannesburg-based news website TimesLIVE reported.
He also criticized a Constitutional Court ruling last year that found the anti-apartheid Kill the Boer chant is not hate speech, and was quoted as saying: “I'm sorry, I don't care what your courts say. This is hate speech.”
Bozell issued a brief statement on X on Wednesday clarifying that while it is his personal view that the slogan constitutes hate speech, “the US government respects the independence and findings of the South African judiciary”.
thanks for doing @biznewscom For hosting me tomorrow. I want to make it clear that while my personal view – like that of many South Africans – is that “kill the Boers” is hate speech, the US government respects the independence and findings of the South African judiciary.
– US Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa (@USAmbRSA) 11 March 2026
'Will not be instructed' on South Africa – Mbalula
ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula responded to Bozel's comments on X, saying: “South Africa's international relations policy will not be decided by anyone but South Africans and their government.”
We must make it clear who we welcome to our beautiful country, including the new US Ambassador. South Africa's international relations policy will not be determined by anyone but South Africans and their government.
Threats to drive out investors like…
– ANC General Secretary Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) 11 March 2026
This is the second time that South Africa has ousted the US ambassador.
Three years ago, authorities summoned Bozel's predecessor, Ruben Brigati, after he publicly accused Pretoria of supplying arms to Russia.
The US is South Africa's second largest trading partner after China.
Source: bloomberg