CAPE TOWN - US ambassador to South Africa Brent Bozell III has decried Pretoria's unhelpful "insults" against the US and its allies.
Bozell said there will be "tough conversations" ahead after he says South Africa sent condolences to Iran for the killing of the country’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Addressing a BizNews Conference in Cape Town, Bozell accused Pretoria of abandoning its declared stance of non-alignment.
“The things that have happened in the last week, are not at all helpful. Insulting our president on the eve of coming to our country is not a good sign. Sending condolences letters to Iran after one of the world’s greatest terrorists has been put down, is not a good sign,” he said.
READ | US ambassador Bozell calls for stronger SA–US cooperation
South Africa sent a message of condolence after Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli strikes.
On 5 March, ANC Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane led a party delegation to the Iranian embassy in Pretoria to offer condolences.
Bozell said Trump had one mandate for him.
“He said, ‘I want South Africa to become nonaligned once again’. That’s not too much to ask, non alignment, that’s what he wants.”
Bozell said he came to the country with a tone that was positive to lower the simmering tensions between the two administrations.
“I don’t want to turn up the temperature but the things that have happened in the last week aren’t helpful. I didn’t come here to pick a fight, that doesn’t accomplish anything. I came here hopefully to find ways that our countries can come back to the table.”
Using Martin Luther King's words to insinuate that racist laws are being used in the country, he suggested that the business sector must go back to 1995, before transformation laws began coming into effect.
“I think it would be wise for the business community to return to 1995 where it seemed like there was a desire for this country not just to heal its wounds but to move forward,” he said
“I would encourage you to go back to those days and explore what the country’s identity looked like and champion that going forward. Don’t get caught playing by the rules of those who want to divide and conquer. Fight them by projecting what you want to project in 1995.”