US Ambassador-Designate Leo Bozell III Arrives in South Africa Amid Tensions with Pretoria
- The US ambassador-designate Leo Brent Bozell III has arrived in South Africa to present his credentials to President Cyril Ramaphosa
- Bozell's posting follows increasing tensions between Pretoria and Washington over foreign policy and trade issues
- Concerns arose over South Africa's shifting diplomatic alignment towards China and other US rivals
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Twitter
GAUTENG, PRETORIA - United States ambassador-designate Leo Brent Bozell III has arrived in South Africa and is expected to present his credentials to Cyril Ramaphosa before formally assuming office in Pretoria.
Bozell landed in South Africa
Under diplomatic protocol, an ambassador assumes full duties only after the host head of state accepts their credentials. Once Ramaphosa receives Bozell's letters of credence, he will officially become Washington's top envoy in South Africa. Bozell's arrival comes amid strained relations between Pretoria and Washington over foreign policy positions, trade issues and broader geopolitical alignment. Tensions have also centred on South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice and its stance on global diplomatic matters.
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Bozell's deployment was imminent after his confirmation by the United States Senate in December 2025. His nomination drew local attention because of his history of conservative media activism in the United States and prompted debate about how he would engage with government and civil society. The US Embassy in South Africa confirmed last month that Bozell had been sworn in as ambassador-designate. In a Facebook statement, the embassy said it looked forward to advancing American priorities and promoting "a safer, stronger, and more prosperous America" through continued engagement with South Africa. The embassy added that he would formally assume duties after presenting credentials to the South African government.
Source: Twitter
Heightened diplomatic friction
Bozell's posting follows heightened diplomatic friction, including controversy surrounding a raid at a US "refugee" facility in Johannesburg and the deportation of Kenyan staff from the centre, incidents Washington described as unacceptable harassment.
In October 2025, during an appearance before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Bozell warned that Washington believed Pretoria was drifting from non-alignment towards closer ties with the People's Republic of China and other US rivals, including Russia and Iran. He pledged to communicate US objections to what he termed South Africa's "geostrategic drift" if appointed ambassador.
US officials join largest delegation ever to mining indaba in Cape Town
Briefly News also reported that United States President Trump continues to pursue business interests in South Africa amid diplomatic tensions.
US energy officials and private sector executives are travelling to Cape Town for the Mining Indaba. The United States delegation includes the US Trade and Development Agency acting director Thomas Hardy, the US International Development Finance Corporation acting vice president for infrastructure and critical minerals Danielle Montgomery, and the acting vice president for foreign policy Bethany Aquilina Brez.
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Source: Briefly News
