US visa ban: Names stay secret, Mbeki best person to break Pretoria-Washington impasse, Bozell says
He expressed "disappointment" in President Cyril Ramaphosa's handling of relations, saying Washington has "run out of patience."
United States Ambassador to South Africa Leo Brent Bozell III announced that the State Department will not disclose the names of South Africans affected by the recent visa restrictions. Former President Thabo Mbeki has been identified as the best person to break the impasse in relations between Washington and Pretoria, according to Bozell.
Bozell warned that the new visa restrictions are just the beginning of a series of escalatory measures aimed at showing "America's firm resolve" in addressing issues such as rural safety, investment security, and broader strategic concerns in South Africa. These concerns were highlighted in a set of five specific requests made to President Ramaphosa, including leaving the U.S. refugee program alone, condemning the "kill the boer" chant, and addressing land expropriation without compensation.
Bozell emphasized that the demands were straightforward and aimed at addressing Trump's concerns over rural safety, investment security, and broader strategic issues.
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