US Threatens South Africa With Further Sanctions Amid Growing Tensions
- US Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III said Washington was preparing its next steps after South Africa allegedly rejected several American demands
- The warning follows visa restrictions introduced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio targeting individuals linked to race-based policies and land expropriation
- The US outlined 5 specific demands it says must be addressed before bilateral relations can be normalised
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SOUTH AFRICA — The United States has put Pretoria on notice that additional punitive measures could be forthcoming if the South African government continues to resist Washington's demands, raising the stakes in an already strained bilateral relationship.
Accordig to NewsDay, US Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III made the warning during an interview with The Common Sense* on Monday, 19 October 2026.
Bozell says engaging South Africa was futile
He said Washington had spent close to two years engaging Pretoria with little to show for it, and that further inaction would carry consequences.
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"We've told the government that there were going to be next moves from the United States, and they're not going to be good for South Africa," Bozell said.
The ambassador made clear that the onus was on South Africa to demonstrate its commitment to the partnership.
"We want strong and lasting relations with the South African government. It needs to show it wants the same. So far, it has shown it cares for neither," he said.
Visa restrictions already in place
The ambassador's remarks follow a policy announcement by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio last month, introducing visa restrictions aimed at individuals accused of enacting or enabling race-based discrimination. The restrictions also target those linked to inciting violence or enabling land expropriation without compensation. Bozell indicated that these measures could serve as a precursor to broader action if diplomatic progress stalls.
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5 demands South Africa must address
The US has set out five specific conditions it says Pretoria must meaningfully engage before relations can be repaired.
These include classifying farm attacks as a priority crime, with the Hawks assigned to investigate each case. Washington is also demanding that the ANC publicly and unequivocally condemn the "Kill the Boer, kill the Farmer" slogan in all its forms.
On land reform, the US wants South Africa to prevent expropriation without fair market compensation and ensure all legal avenues are exhausted beforehand. US entities must also be exempted from Black Economic Empowerment requirements and other race-based legislation Washington regards as non-tariff trade barriers.
Finally, the US is calling on South Africa to sever ties with Iran and other countries it considers adversaries, and to adopt a genuinely non-aligned foreign policy stance.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously indicated his intention to respond to the American demands but has not committed to a timeframe.
Bozell delines to confirm of deny genocide claims
Briefly News reported that US Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III declined to confirm or deny that white South Africans are victims of targeted killing, deflecting a series of pointed questions during a live radio interview. During an interview, he was asked for a straightforward yes or no answer on whether the United States government believes a white genocide is taking place in South Africa. The ambassador repeatedly avoided committing to a position, instead redirecting attention to five specific requests made by te US.
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Source: Briefly News
