Donald Trump’s man on the ground is here
US President Donald Trump’s pick for ambassador to South Africa, conservative activist and writer Leo Brent Bozell III, has arrived in the country where he will seek to improve fraught ties between the two states.
An embassy official told Reuters on Monday that Bozell had arrived. He is expected to present his credentials to President Cyril Ramaphosa before officially taking up his post.
Relations between Washington and Pretoria have deteriorated in the last year as Trump has accused South Africa of persecuting its white minority, criticised its ties with Russia and China, imposed steep tariffs on its exports and cut all aid.
South Africa has not had an ambassador in Washington since the Trump administration expelled its last one, Ebrahim Rasool.
Bozell said in his Senate confirmation hearing in October that he would approach his ambassadorship “with respect for the South African people”, and that he saw “real opportunity for a lasting partnership” despite areas of disagreement.
Bozell said his priorities would include pressing South Africa to end its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, advancing Trump’s refugee programme for white South Africans, and promoting business interests.
The first objective could heighten tensions with South Africa’s government, which regards support for Palestinian rights as a core element of its foreign policy.
Israel has denied accusations of genocide over its military campaign in Gaza and says South Africa’s case is unfounded.
While Pretoria strongly rejects claims that its white minority is persecuted, it has said it will not interfere with the US refugee programme.
Bozell began his political career at the National Conservative Political Action Committee, where in the 1980s he opposed US engagement with the African National Congress (ANC) as it fought to end white minority rule.
He told the Senate hearing his stance at the time was due to the fact that the ANC was aligned with the Soviet Union, an enemy of the United States.
Nevertheless, he said he had deep respect for South Africa’s first post-apartheid president and former ANC leader, Nelson Mandela.
Bozell founded the Media Research Center, a conservative watchdog group, and ForAmerica, a right-wing advocacy organisation.
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What the Ambassador could discuss is the race laws against the white minority who have been oppressed for over 30 years. The ANC is disingenuous by with holding the progress made on Transformation to detract from their failure to uplift and better the life of the poor. This have resulted in the majority of black people’s perceptions that it is the white minority who is to be blamed. The race laws should be removed due to the successful Transformation already achieved.
Land Restitution and Land Claims :- 28 Jul 2000-Land Restitution and Land Claims-19 Jun 2024 — DALRRD has invested nearly R58 billion in settled land claims, grants and financial compensation up until 31 March 2024.-14 Nov 2024 — For 30 years, the Act has enabled many communities and individuals to reclaim their ancestral land, restoring dignity and creating opportunities..Land Redistribution:Purpose: To transform the racial pattern of land ownership, moving land from predominantly white landowners to black farmers and communities. In terms of awards to claimants, which is either financial or land compensation, the ratio is more or less 50:50 between Financial Compensation (totalling R20 billion) and Land compensation (totalling R24 billion), indicating that the Restitution Programme has and is still meeting its objectives; – Land compensation further equates to 3.86 million hectares that have been restored.
Big changes to the middle class in South Africa- Malcolm Libera “Rising remuneration among black South Africans has dramatically changed the racial makeup of the country’s band of middle- and top-income earners over the course of three decades of democratic rule, a new study has found. About 41% of White households made more than R75,000 ($4,672) a month in 2024, down from 61% in 2012, while the proportion of Black households in that bracket climbed to 41% from 29% over the period, the study by the University of Cape Town’s Liberty Institute of Strategic Marketing found.
It based its analysis on data from the national statistics agency’s general household survey.
The shift underscores how economic disparities can narrow, even in societies shaped by deep, institutionalised inequality.
The lesson is particularly pertinent in South Africa, where the Black majority was systematically discriminated against during colonial and apartheid rule, race and earnings were once inseparable, and millions still live in grinding poverty.
The analysis of the income data gives policymakers and investors a window into how changing demographic and labour market dynamics are reshaping wealth distribution and may serve as an indicator of South Africa’s longer-term economic trajectory and growth potential.”
Upliftment of the poor.- the upliftment of the poor, which is a Government function where the ANC failed. In a leaked ANC document they acknowledged this. Quoting the ANC’s acknowledgement from a leaked document. “he ANC admits its failure to tackle poverty, and inequality is both a socioeconomic crisis and a threat to its legitimacy. This is contained in the party’s discussion document for its National General Council at the end of the year. The party criticises the “state capture era” (2009 to 2018) for corruption, weakened institutions and public mistrust. The ANC views its failure to address poverty and inequality not only as a socioeconomic crisis, but as a “political catastrophe for the ANC. The party’s most recent Umrabulo newsletter contains the base document for its National General Council, which is scheduled for the end of the year. The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) due to misrule , State Capture and Corruption and should not be a reason to continue with the oppression of the white minority with the race laws as a punishment. The the upliftment will have to be a continued priority as in all countries, there will always be poor people and their should always be actions to better their lives.