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South Africa's G20 Sherpa and DIRCO Director-General, Zane Dangor. Picture: @g20org/X
International Relations Director General Zane Dangor said that the second demarche of US Ambassador to South Africa, Leo Bozell, was not frivolous.
Responding to a question from the Democratic Alliance (DA) regarding the engagement, Dangor told Parliament that the government was trying to avoid a diplomatic incident.
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It was concerned that Minister Ronald Lamola would be turned away upon arrival in the US, after the visa restrictions were announced.
While Parliament’s portfolio committee Chairperson Supra Mahumapelo said it had been engaging with Bozell’s office to have him appear before them, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said it was no longer interested in hearing from him, and he should be expelled.
Following three demarches from the Department of International Relations, Director General Zane Dangor has moved to explain that these do not necessarily always amount to rebukes, but are official engagements through which governments convey diplomatic information.
US Ambassador Leo Bozell has faced three demarches in the nine months since his arrival in Pretoria.
In an interview aired by US broadcaster Fox News on Sunday, Bozell scoffed at being called in a second time, to clarify whether Minister Ronald Lamola was among those on the US’ visa restriction list.
But Bozell said he could not say.]
Dangor told MPs that the matter was serious enough to warrant a demarche.
“What we wanted to avoid was a diplomatic incident where a foreign minister of South Africa arrives at a US airport, and he’s then barred from entry. That would have been a much bigger diplomatic incident than us calling [Bozell] in for clarity,” said Dangor.
Dangor said that, with the visa list said to be anonymous, citizens will only know if they have been banned from entering the US when they apply for a visa, or upon arrival.
However, the EFF’s Nqobile Mhlongo said the government should stop walking on eggshells, and President Cyril Ramaphosa should just cancel Bozell’s accreditation.
“Bozell must be expelled within the next 24 hours, and he should be declared persona non grata and leave so he can continue to be an unrehabilitated racist and apartheid apologist there in America,” said Mhlongo.
Meanwhile, African National Congress (ANC) MPs are calling for stricter legislative provisions to act against South African individuals who peddle misinformation about the country on visits abroad.
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