Pretoria – US Ambassador to South Africa Leo Brent Bozell III has warned that billions of dollars in potential American investment could remain on the sidelines if Pretoria does not address policies he says are making it difficult for US companies to operate in the country.
Bozell made the comments in an interview with Fox News Digital, as tensions between Washington and Pretoria continue to grow over South Africa’s domestic policies and foreign relations.
He singled out the mining and telecommunications sectors, saying US companies were ready to invest but were being discouraged by requirements around local ownership.
“There are literally billions of dollars from American firms and American government investments ready to go into mining,” Bozell told Fox News Digital.
He also pointed to Starlink, owned by Elon Musk, as an example of a US company facing obstacles in entering the South African market.
Bozell said Starlink had offered to provide internet connectivity to 500 schools at no cost, but claimed the company was being asked to give up 30% ownership to black local partners.
So here we go again. Another Minister Lamola personal insult aimed at an American leader (this time me) which, when denounced (which I’m doing now), will result in a demarche with a lecture about being “undiplomatic.” And then the South African government wonders why relations are collapsing.
— U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa (@USAmbRSA) October 4, 2026
The ambassador argued that similar requirements were holding back investment in mining, particularly in critical and rare-earth minerals.
Bozell’s remarks come days after the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) summoned him for the third time since he took up his post.
The latest démarche was issued over what Pretoria described as the ambassador’s “undiplomatic conduct”.
A démarche is a formal diplomatic protest or request for clarification between governments.
South Africa has maintained that the two countries remain committed to resolving their differences through dialogue.
Pretoria was seeking to keep diplomatic channels open following the latest rebuke, despite growing disagreements over US concerns about South African policy.
The latest dispute has also involved the controversial “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer” chant.
Bozell accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of refusing to condemn the slogan, which he described as an incitement to violence.
“You’ve got a president of South Africa who refuses to condemn an incitement to kill,” he told Fox News Digital.
Ramaphosa has previously said the Constitutional Court had found that the singing of the song did not amount to hate speech, while the government has maintained that South Africa’s constitutional framework and institutions must be respected.
Bozell also criticised South Africa’s relations with countries such as China, Russia and Iran.
He argued that Pretoria was moving away from the non-aligned position it has traditionally promoted in its foreign policy.
“South Africa gets the money, not the Chinese. We bring in the technology that they could never have,” Bozell said, arguing that greater US investment could create jobs and strengthen South Africa’s economy.
The ambassador said Washington wanted South Africa to maintain a relationship with both sides rather than move closer to countries the US regards as strategic rivals.
His comments come against the backdrop of growing disagreements between the Trump administration and the South African government over land reform, Black Economic Empowerment, rural safety and foreign policy.
In September, the US imposed visa restrictions on unspecified South African nationals over allegations relating to racial discrimination and land seizures.
Semafor reported last month that Bozell had warned that South Africa’s Black empowerment rules were holding back billions of dollars in American capital, particularly because of local-equity requirements in mining and telecommunications.
Despite his criticism, Bozell said Washington was not seeking to abandon its relationship with Pretoria.
“We want this partnership. We want to figure this out. It’s good for South Africa. It’s good for the United States of America,” he said.
Sunday Times deputy editor Mike Siluma unpacks why international relations and co-operation minister Ronald Lamola says US ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III must “get out of the kitchen” if he no longer believes in diplomatic engagement with Pretoria. https://t.co/8jnszXvXDP https://t.co/wSbhO1vYpG
— Sunday Times (@SundayTimesZA) October 4, 2026
Bozell remained optimistic that the two countries could overcome their differences, despite the recent diplomatic tensions.
For Pretoria, the challenge will be balancing its efforts to attract foreign investment with its policies aimed at addressing the economic inequalities created by apartheid.
For Washington, Bozell’s latest comments signal that investment and economic cooperation remain closely tied to the Trump administration’s wider concerns about South Africa’s domestic and foreign policies.
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
