PRETORIA, Wednesday 30 September 2026 — South Africa has summoned United States Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III for the third time in nine months, with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation accusing Washington’s envoy of “undiplomatic conduct” amid renewed tensions over land reform, empowerment policy and relations between the two countries.
A senior DIRCO official confirmed that Bozell was issued with a formal diplomatic démarche on Tuesday and called in to account for his conduct. Reuters independently confirmed the démarche with a senior department official.
The department has not publicly identified a single statement as the formal trigger for the latest démarche.
It follows, however, a series of recent interviews in which Bozell criticised Pretoria’s handling of Washington’s concerns and warned that further pressure could follow if the South African government did not respond adequately.
A démarche is a formal diplomatic representation or protest delivered by one government to another.
DIRCO tells ambassador to observe responsibilities of office
A DIRCO official told IOL that Tuesday’s meeting was the third such engagement with Bozell in nine months.
“The ambassador was informed that he needs to uphold the responsibilities of his office and conduct himself accordingly,” the official said.
Reuters separately quoted a senior DIRCO official confirming that it was Bozell’s third démarche since he began his duties in South Africa.
Despite the dispute, DIRCO said engagement between Pretoria and Washington was continuing.
“The issues related to the bilateral relations between the two countries are a subject of ongoing discussions,” the official told Reuters, adding that both sides remained committed to resolving outstanding matters.
Washington has pressed Pretoria on five issues
The latest diplomatic confrontation comes against the backdrop of five policy concerns publicly advanced by the United States.
Bozell has previously identified them as protecting rural communities from violence, condemning rhetoric that incites or glorifies violence, concerns over South Africa’s expropriation laws, Black Economic Empowerment policies and expanding cooperation involving digital trade and critical minerals.
More recent reporting has described Washington’s demands as including protection of private property rights, changes to South Africa’s empowerment policies, action on rural safety and opposition to the “Kill the Boer” chant.
President Cyril Ramaphosa received a message from the Trump administration through Bozell in August setting out Washington’s concerns.
The Presidency subsequently confirmed that Ramaphosa would respond.
Bozell said in recent interviews that he had expected progress in the relationship but had become frustrated with Pretoria’s response.
Speaking to 702 last week, he criticised International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola and said some South African officials had been helpful in discussions while others had not. EWN
Dispute intensified after US visa restrictions
The démarche also comes about two weeks after Washington announced visa restrictions affecting some South Africans.
DIRCO criticised the move, saying it reflected what the department regarded as a mischaracterisation of South Africa’s domestic policies.
The department maintained that South Africa had a sovereign right to adopt legislation aimed at addressing the consequences of centuries of racial inequality and said disagreements with Washington should be resolved through diplomatic engagement rather than unilateral measures.
Reuters reported that Pretoria continues to insist that engagement with Washington must respect South African sovereignty and the government’s domestic policy priorities.
The bilateral dispute has developed across several policy areas, including land reform, race-based economic redress, rural safety and South Africa’s foreign-policy positions.
Bozell previously apologised after first démarche
The latest intervention is not the first time Bozell’s public statements have prompted a formal response from Pretoria.
DIRCO summoned him in March after remarks at a business conference in Hermanus concerning the “Kill the Boer” chant and South African court rulings.
Bozell subsequently expressed regret over comments that the government regarded as undermining South Africa’s judiciary.
At the time, Lamola said South Africa welcomed active public diplomacy but expected foreign representatives to observe established diplomatic protocols.
Bozell arrived in South Africa earlier this year after being appointed by US President Donald Trump and formally began his diplomatic duties after presenting his credentials to Ramaphosa.
Relations remain strained but talks continue
The third démarche marks another deterioration in a relationship that has been under sustained pressure during 2026.
Washington has increasingly criticised South African domestic and foreign policies, while Pretoria has rejected attempts to characterise its transformation and land-reform policies as discriminatory against minorities.
The South African government has also rejected claims that Afrikaners face systematic persecution in the country.
At the same time, both governments continue to signal that diplomatic negotiations remain open.
DIRCO’s confirmation that outstanding bilateral issues remain under discussion indicates that Tuesday’s démarche has not ended formal engagement.
The next significant development will be whether Washington responds publicly to the latest protest and whether the ongoing talks produce movement on the policy disputes that have increasingly defined relations between Pretoria and Washington.
