U.S. Ambassador Condemns South African President Over Unaddressed Hateful Chant and Growing Alignment with Adversaries

JOHANNESBURG: The United States Ambassador to South Africa, L. Brent Bozell III, has sharply criticized President Cyril Ramaphosa, stating, “You have a president of South Africa who refuses to condemn incitement to kill.”

Ambassador L. Brent Bozell III said the remarks came after he was summoned to South Africa’s foreign ministry earlier this week and rebuked for “undiplomatic conduct” in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

In the nine months since his appointment, this marks the third diplomatic rebuke, or démarche, received by the ambassador from Pretoria. South Africa has criticized him for conveying President Trump’s condemnations of various South African policies and statements. Ambassador Bozell, a former Fox News contributor and founder of the Media Research Center, is known for his conservative media watchdog activities.

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The Peaceful Boere march from the Castle of Cape Town to Parliament, attended by more than 300 participants, honored murdered farmers on October 25, 2020, in Cape Town. A memorial monument was later erected in Paarl to commemorate those killed on farms. (Brenton Geach/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

Ambassador Bozell has repeatedly called for addressing the concerns President Trump raised during a heated Oval Office exchange with President Ramaphosa 16 months earlier. These include allegations of race‑based discrimination, farmer murders and torture, plans for uncompensated land seizures, and incitement of violence against minority groups.

He indicated that three of the five specific demands from the Trump administration have been ignored by South Africa.

Chief among the demands is President Trump’s request that President Ramaphosa halt the use of the chant “Kill the Boer! Kill the farmer!” The term “Boer” refers to a white South African of Dutch or Huguenot ancestry, according to Merriam‑Webster. President Ramaphosa has stated he cannot prohibit the chant, citing a Supreme Court ruling that permits its use.

“You have a president of South Africa who refuses to condemn incitement to kill,” Bozell told Fox News Digital.

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U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Brent Bozell III (L) poses for a photograph after presenting letters of credence to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (R) at Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria on April 8, 2026. (Phill Magakoe / AFP via Getty Images)

He added, “You have a government that says it will do less for the Afrikaner rural community, while simultaneously requiring that mining operate through race‑based programs, preventing investments from proceeding as they have for others.”

“That’s three strikes and you’re out as far as we’re concerned,” Bozell said.

“Ask anyone in the world whether ‘kill the farmer, kill the Boer’ is not hate speech,” he continued. “If that isn’t hate speech, I don’t know what is—inciting murder. The response we receive is that the court has ruled it permissible, but in the United States the president can disagree with the court, as he does frequently, because that’s how democracy works when one disagrees.”

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President Donald Trump meets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House, on Wednesday, May 21, in Washington. (AP/Evan Vucci)

Bozell added, “To say you can’t because the court said it’s not is poppycock. If President Ramaphosa wants to, he can do it—it’s that simple.”

Emphasizing his point, the ambassador said, “How hard is it to tell a crowd that is chanting and miming shootings to stop? It’s appalling to incite people to kill.”

President Donald Trump shows documents as he meets South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House on Thursday, May 21, in Washington. (AP/Evan Vucci)

Analysts say South Africa is increasingly aligning with Iran, Russia, China, and even Cuba. The ruling African National Congress (ANC), which governs under a so‑called “government of national unity,” has hosted the terrorist group Hamas.

The administration remains vigilant on this issue. President Trump recently conferred with Ambassador Bozell in Washington, where Bozell said the president is “perhaps most of all, concerned about how South Africa has been systematically leaving the non‑alignment space and moving closer and closer to our adversaries.”

Referring to South Africa, the ambassador added, “There are people who are living in the glory days of the Soviet Union and yearning to return to the old days of communism. Why are they still working with Cuba?”

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan on October 22, 2024. (Alexander Nemenov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Digging deeper, Bozell asked, “Why are they working with Iran and Hamas terror organizations? What is Russia providing them? What is China offering? This alignment is troubling. We simply urge South Africa to remain non‑aligned with either side and to live with that stance.”

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The ambassador emphasized that the United States seeks robust business ties with South Africa, especially in mining critical minerals and rare earths. “We won’t do what the Chinese do,” he said. “They extract the ore and ship it to China, reaping the profits. We propose to mine the resources directly in South Africa, creating value for the country.”

“South Africa retains the revenue, not China,” he continued. “We bring technology they lack and have already generated hundreds of thousands of jobs. We can expand further as the nation needs it, and it benefits both countries. That is the partnership we envision.”

South African shoppers in Pretoria’s Central Business District. (Leon Sadiki/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Elon Musk’s Starlink and other U.S. firms are eager to enter South Africa, but the government’s telecommunications and mining policies require that 30 % of foreign ownership be allocated to black local entrepreneurs.

Bozell says this hampers U.S. investment. “Billions of dollars from American companies and government are ready for mining, but they cannot proceed while mandatory race‑based ownership hurdles exist,” he noted. Regarding telecom, Elon Musk offered to install Starlink in 500 schools at no cost indefinitely, yet the government demanded “30 % of your company.” “Of course it’s hurting,” Bozell added.

Mined platinum‑rich rock sits inside a freight wagon at the Sibanye‑Stillwater Khuseleka platinum mine, operated by Sibanye Gold Ltd., outside Rustenburg, South Africa, during a media tour on October 16, 2019. The company says it is on track to resume dividend payments next year, pending resolution of a wage dispute with miners. (Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

On Friday, a senior official from South Africa’s Department of International Relations confirmed to Fox News Digital that the ambassador had been demarched for the third time, describing it as “a record.” The official stated that the ambassador was summoned to explain his undiplomatic conduct and noted that bilateral issues are under ongoing discussion, with both sides committed to resolving outstanding matters. “South Africa values the relationship with the USA. It is a mutually beneficial partnership,” the official added.

A State Department spokesperson added on Friday, “We are not interested in diplomatic maneuvering, procedural delays, or dialogue for dialogue’s sake. The ball is now squarely in the Government of South Africa’s court to outline the relationship it wants with the United States and respond accordingly to President Trump’s executive order.”

Nevertheless, Ambassador Bozell expressed guarded optimism for the U.S.–South Africa relationship. “Temperatures can go up, but I want theirs to go down too,” he said. “We want this partnership, we want to figure it out. It’s good for South Africa and for the United States. Temperatures need to come down, and we have to find a solution.”

Paul Tilsley is a veteran correspondent who has reported from four continents for more than three decades. Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, he can be followed on X @paultilsley.

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