South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to formally receive the credentials of U.S. Ambassador-designate Leo Brent Bozell III on Wednesday, in a move that could signal a tentative easing of strained bilateral relations.
According to a statement from the presidency, Bozell will present his credentials in Pretoria on Wednesday morning, alongside envoys from 19 other countries.
Bozell, a long-time critic of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress, arrived in the country in February and initially submitted his documents to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
Diplomatic tensions have persisted since his arrival. Last month, South Africa’s Foreign Ministry lodged a formal protest, calling on the envoy to explain what it termed “undiplomatic remarks” regarding a domestic court ruling comments Pretoria said undermined its judicial sovereignty.
U.S. President Donald Trump nominated Bozell in March 2025, shortly after expelling South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, Ebrahim Rasool, over his public criticism of U.S. policies.
Pretoria has yet to appoint a replacement for Rasool.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated significantly since the start of Trump’s second term in 2025, amid widening differences on key global issues. These include South Africa’s 2023 case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
The United States has also accused South Africa of persecuting its white minority, an allegation Pretoria has strongly denied while Washington has imposed steep tariffs on South African exports and suspended aid, further straining ties.
