About Us
Mission In the Media
2008
Selected articles and editorials published in the South African media.
Where full text is not available online, the article may be requested from the Embassy's American Library.
November
American Chamber of Commerce Thanksgiving Dinner: Address by ANC President Jacob Zuma
(Politicsweb, November 26, 2008)
"The American Ambassador to South Africa, His Excellency Eric Bost and his team worked tirelessly to help us organise the highly successful visit. Ambassador Bost also accompanied us on the visit, to personally ensure its success. That indicated his commitment to the need to further deepen the multifaceted relations between our two countries."
Science reading room opened
(Pretoria News, November 22, 2008)
A science reading room at the University of Pretoria's Mamelodi campus was opened by the University and United States of America Embassy, the two bodies said on Saturday.
Lungile gets it right with new bakery for orphans
(Sowetan, November 19, 2008)
Aids orphans in Mthuli, Mjele and Mathunini in KwaMaphumulo, northern KwaZulu-Natal, could only dream of eating a slice of bread before going to school – until a bakery opened in their district yesterday.
FBI to help SA fight crime
(News24, November 12, 2008)
Cape Town - The American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is to assist South Africa in fighting crime, the US Ambassador to South Africa, Eric Bost, has confirmed.
September
US consul-general looks forward to serve in KZN
(Daily News, September 17, 2008)
The new American consul-general to KwaZulu-Natal, Jill Derderian, is thrilled at her new posting - and cannot wait to visit the rural areas.
[Access restricted to registered subscibers]
Georgia Must Be Whole and Free. By Eric M. Bost, Ambassador of the United States to the Republic of South Africa
(As submitted to the Mail & Guardian. Published September 5, 2008)
During this Olympic year, however, we’ve been treated to a spectacle that has been anything but uplifting, as Russian tanks, troops, and planes have swept across the border of one of its small neighbors. Although the neighbor was Georgia, not Czechoslovakia, and the tanks bore Russian, not Soviet Union markings, the scene was chillingly reminiscent of 1968.
Green fury over US nuke ship
(Business Day, September 3, 2008)
Sharon Hudson-Dean, a press attaché at the embassy , said yesterday the US Navy had been invited to visit SA. “We welcome the opportunity to interact with our military counterparts ...These visits serve to advance the level of understanding and professionalism between navies with similar interests in protecting the maritime environment,” she said.
The Official Line: United States
(Business Day, September 1, 2008)
THE US is SA’s biggest single trading partner, and total trade continues to grow. Marja Tuit spoke to Eric M Bost, who was sworn in as US ambassador to SA in July 2006 and also manages the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which provides treatment for thousands of South Africans suffering from HIV/AIDS.
August
It’s Your Legacy. By Eric M. Bost, Ambassador of the United States of America to South Africa
(Submitted as an op-ed to News24.co, August 27, 2008)
It was with great sadness that the United States, along with the rest of the world, marked the passing of President Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia. Struck down by a stroke at age 59, this champion of anti-corruption will be remembered as one of the most outspoken voices among African leaders to take a strong, principled stand on Zimbabwe. Mwanawasa did not live to see his neighbors gain the democracy, freedom and economic recovery they so desperately want, but his legacy of leadership in Zambia and on Zimbabwe will not be forgotten. The question now before all of the SADC leaders, including Robert Mugabe, should be: what will my legacy be?
July
Ambassador criticises SA's approach to Aids pandemic
(Sunday Tribune, July 20, 2008)
South Africa has an "outstanding" HIV/Aids strategy, but the government is not sending out a comprehensive message about the disease, thereby crippling its own efforts to curb its spread.
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U.S.A. Ambassador "can no longer stay quiet on Zim"
(Burger, July 11, 2008)
[Ambassador] Bost told Die Burger that he made an undertaking a year ago to senior persons in South Africa’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that he would be quiet on Zimbabwe regarding the crisis for one year. He made this undertaking as he was given the assurance that the crisis in Zimbabwe would be solved within a year. He can now however no longer remain quiet as the situation in Zimbabwe is progressively worsening. [translated from the original Afrikaans]
June
SA's brightest minds off to study in US
(Pretoria News, June 25, 2008)
Some of South Africa's most promising young academics will jet off to the US in the next two months to take up graduate studies at leading universities. The 25 students from across the country were awarded the scholarships through the Fulbright programme.
Time to send Mugabe a Loud Message
(The Times, June 14, 2008)
As the situation in Zimbabwe deteriorates each day, the international community owes it to the Zimbabwean people to take a strong, decisive stand against what is happening in their country and in support of their democratic aspirations. [Op-Ed by Ambassador Bost]
Chance of a lifetime for SA students in US
(The Star, June 13)
Twenty-two South African students have been sent on a year-long programme in America by the US ambassador to SA.he students, who were selected from FET colleges around the country, are part of the Community College Initiative in the United States. aunched last year, the programme gives students who would not be selected for traditional bursary programmes the opportunity to study overseas.
City pupils picked for US youth programme
(Sunday Argus, June 1)
Khayelitsha pupil Angela Zungu .. jets off to the US to participate in its Youth Ambassador Programme. Anela, 17, is one of three pupils chosen for the programme, which has been introduced in South Africa for the first time.
[Access restricted to registered subscibers]
May
Opportunity knocks for bright scholar
(Pretoria News, May 19)
Fullbright scholar Shirley Motaung wants university students, especially women, to take advantage of scholarships. Next month Motaung will leave for the US, to complete her doctoral thesis at the University of California Davis (UCD).
City librarian scoops top scholarship
(The Witness, May 15)
Msunduzi Municipal librarian Balungile “Sonto” Moleme beat stiff competition to become one of only 17 out of 170 applicants countrywide to win a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to the United States this year.
Ex-Pretoria News editor gets fellowship
(Pretoria News, May 13)
The Sowetan's editor-in-chief Thabo Leshilo - a former editor of Pretoria News - has been chosen as the 2008/09 South African Nieman fellow to Harvard. [The Embassy administers the nomination of South Africans]
April
US pulls back aid for SA
(The Times, April 3)
South Africa should expect a reduction in aid from the US because of the global powerhouse’s looming economic recession and a change in foreign policy. This is according to US Ambassador to South Africa Eric Bost, who addressed the East London business community this week.
January
US cash for Aids in SA rivals state's own budget
(Sunday Times, January 27)
US FUNDING for HIV/Aids programmes in South Africa this year comes close to matching the South African government/s own budget for dealing with the epidemic. The US will provide R4.3-billion to South Africa in 2008 to support its HIV/Aids programmes, Mark Dybul, the US global Aids co-ordinator, said in Pretoria on Friday.