US Ambassador to South Africa, Brent Bozell, has been strongly criticised by politicians in the republic following his review of strained US–South African relations at a recent BizNews conference.
In his address, the Ambassador stressed the importance of the relationship between the United States and South Africa, noting that the republic is the largest exporter to the US in sub-Saharan Africa, but that the relationship requires “reciprocity”.
Bozell posits that South African legislation and foreign policy raise concerns, pointing to the Expropriation Act as an example of domestic policy worries and to a strengthened relationship with American geopolitical rivals as a foreign policy concern.
“When businesses believe their property rights may be uncertain, when policy frameworks create unpredictability instead of clarity, and when strategic alignments appear to drift toward regimes that do not share our democratic values, common ground becomes harder to sustain,” stated Bozell.
Bozell’s strong opinions on domestic policies, particularly those crafted to address historic injustices, include warnings that the future of American business operations in the republic could be threatened.
The ANC’s Fikile Mbalula has denounced the US Ambassadors remarks.
Mbalula regards the idea that US investors could stifle business operations in South Africa as “unfounded”. The ANC secretary-general argues that the presence of Walmart in the South African market indicates confidence from American investors in the local economy.
“The threats of investors pulling out, such as Amazon, Google, Visa, and Microsoft, are unfounded. These companies came to the G20 even though the Trump administration didn’t show up. US companies are confident in the South African economy, as seen by Walmart’s presence in the market. South Africa is open for business and is a safe destination for global companies to operate,” claimed Mbalula on X.
Mbalula has emphasised that South Africans dictate their own policies, a sentiment shared by his political contemporaries in the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
According to the EFF, Bozell’s critique of South African policies and his speculation about possible future actions by American businesses transgress beyond his role as ambassador to South Africa and warrant his expulsion.
“In our view, Bozell’s comments warrant his expulsion as ambassador to South Africa, as he has expressed contempt for our country, the President of South Africa, the legislature and our judiciary,” the EFF said in a statement.
Photo: Gage Skidmore
