About Us
Mission in the Media
2007 Archive
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 2007
Exporters reaping Agoa rewards (Times, November 26)
Department of trade and industry data show that South Africa exported R34-billion worth of goods to the US this year to August, slightly more than the R33.8-billion exported to Japan. Craig Allen, the US Commercial Service's senior commercial officer in Johannesburg, said this was thanks to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), a US government incentive that gives 99.6percent of exports from this country exemption from US import duties.
Bush's SA emissary shoots from hip (Sunday Independent, November 25)
It would be a pity to allow the good messages of Eric Bost, the United States ambassador to South Africa - about the need to get a grip on escalating crime and to implement our comprehensive Aids policy - to be drowned in the nomenclature of his Republicanism.
[Access restricted to registered subscibers]
Programme tackles roots of violence (Cape Argus, November 21)
South Africans, like most people in the world have a negative view of women. they are seen as less human, less than equal and regarded as commodities for trade. Only in this country the direspect is deeply rooted and acted out in the most severe manner. These are the works of American Joseph Marshall... (Joseph Marshall is over on a US Embassy/Consulate speaker program)
[Access restricted to registered subscibers]
US bid to highlight slave trade over 16 Days (Pretoria News, November 21)
The US embassy has teamed up with Unisa and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to play its part in the 16 Days of Activism Against Woman and Child Abuse.
Together they are hosting Celebrate Life, a festival of films, talks and exhibits at the National Cultural History Museum in Pretoria this week.
[Access restricted to registered subscibers of the Pretoria News]
R300 miljoen vir opkomende swart boere (R300 Million for Emerging Black Farmers) (Rapport, November 18)
Swart ekonomiese bemagtiging in die landbousektor het Vrydag 'n hupstoot van R300 miljoen uit Amerika gekry.
Die Amerikaanse agentskap vir internasionale ontwikkeling (USAid) het 'n ooreenkoms met FirstRand Bank (FRB) se ontwikkelingskredietafdeling aangegaan.
[English translation available on request:ircpretoria@state.gov]
US: We won't be quiet on Zim anymore (Citizen, November 15)
If the US government does not see progress soon towards democracy in Zimbabwe, it is not going to keep quiet. So spoke US ambassador Eric Bost at a small Press conference in Cape Town yesterday.
Film star plays angel in Zululand (Mercury, November 09)
The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project and Oprah's Angel Network have provided lead funding to create the Mpilonhle Mobile Health and Computer Unit, which will give pupils at four high schools access to nursing services including counselling and HIV testing.
In a major announcement, Bost said R8,5-million had been awarded by the US President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) to support the Mpilonhle Project.
September 2007
Local lingo books for SA kids (The Star, August 12)
One way of improving reading skills in children is to give them books in languages they understand and stories that are relevant to their daily lives.
This was the concept followed by the Department of Education and USAid when they developed a new project to create children's books that can be used as textbooks in schools.
Note: [Access restricted to registered subscibers of the Cape Argus]
US initiative to boost kids' reading (Citizen, August 11)
The Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor, and the US deputy chief of mission Don Teitelbaum launched the "American-South African" partnership yesterday in a bid to produce children's books in local languages.
August 2007
US Aids relief programme has multi-pronged strategy (Cape Argus, August 16)
Di Caelers's article of August 7 ("Sexual abstinence plans alone don't stop HIV - study") rightly points out that abstinence-only programmes alone will not reduce the spread of HIV. [Op-Ed written by US Consul General Helen La Lime]
[Access restricted to registered subscibers of the Cape Argus]
July 2007
Looking beyond 2010 Cup (Daily News, July 26)
"SOUTH Africa's hosting of the World Cup could have huge tourism spin-offs that will extend far beyond 2010.That is the opinion of renowned editor, Pulitzer Prize winner and former US Assistant Secretary of State...Hughes visited Independent Newspapers as part of a US Government sponsored trip to help local reporters better prepare for the forthcoming soccer spectacle."
Note: John Hughes is in South Africa as a participant in the U.S. Embassy's International Visitor Program
[Access restricted to registered subscibers of The Star]
Landmark lesson for Cape: New York on Show (Cape Times, July 24)
"Set-up on same-size easels in the theatre building's cold-hearted foyer, the Landmarks of New York show comes across less a bit of soft American propaganda than a quiet didactic installation, reminding us too of our built-up city environment and its people."
The exhibition is a U.S. Consulate General Cape Town program
US, SA to share crime fighting initiatives (Independent Online, July 16)
"THE managing director of the KZN Business Against Crime will soon be on his way to America to learn all about crime-prevention initiatives - and to tell police there about successes back at home. Kelvin Glen, who has been chosen by the US Embassy to take part in an International Visitors Programme, designed to expose potential leaders to their American professional counterparts and to American institutions, policies, culture and values."
Media have real spadework to do ahead of 2010 (The Star, July 15)
Journalists in South Africa have a lot to do if they are to be ready for the 2010 World Cup. This was the advice given by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist John Hughes in Joburg yesterday. Hughes is visiting South African newsrooms this week.
John Hughes is in South Africa as a participant in the U.S. Embassy's International Visitor Program
[Access restricted to registered subscibers of The Star]
SADC shuns spectre of US Africom plans (Sunday Independent, July 15)
"Tensions broke the surface this week when Eric Bost, the outspoken US ambassador to South Africa, complained that Mosiuoa Lekota, the defence minister, was not responding to embassy requests to meet General Kip Ward, the recently nominated first commander of Africom."
Crisis serves to bridge cultural gaps (Sowetan, July 13)
"Touring US play In the Continuum, which looks at the challenges of two young people, one African and the other African- American, wowed theatre fans in Grahamstown and is sure to impress many more when it tours the country.
The play is directed by Robert Ohara and its South African tour is sponsored by the US Embassy."
Bright Durban pupil wins US scholarship(The Mercury, July 2)
"Aptly named, Mthokozisi Bright Mazibuko is something of a celebrity in Gcabashe Road in KwaMashu, after beating 19 000 applicants to secure a scholarship to Duke University in the United States."
[Access restricted to registered subscibers of The Mercury]
June 2007
Achievers to fly SA flag high in US (Pretoria News, June 28)
"Sixteen city students will leave for America after they were chosen to participate in the US Community College Initiative programme... They will be studying in various colleges across the US. The students were congratulated by US Ambassador Eric Bost at his Waterkloof Ridge residence yesterday."
Bfn-biblioteek kry Amerikaanse hoek (Volksblad, June 21)
"DIE Bloemfonteinse biblioteek in die middestad het 'n inspuiting van sowat $40 000 (R282 800) van die ambassadeur van Amerika in Suid-Afrika in die vorm van boeke en rekenaars gekry."
Visit American Corner at Bfn library(Express, June 20)
"IF you have always wanted to know more about the Unites States (US) but did not know where to go to find out more about this world super-power, look no further than the Bloemfontein Public Library."
April 2007
Fresh fruit exports to US expected to grow(Business Report, April 13)
"South Africa's exports of fresh fruit to the US had almost doubled since 2002 to $67 million (R477 million) last year, US ambassador Eric Bost said yesterday. And the market was expected to grow ... "
March 2007
Building a better US-SA relationship (Insight Africa, March 23)
"There is far more that unites our two great countries than divides us"
Article written by U.S. Ambassador Bost
High profile visit (Zululand Observer, March 16)
"Representatives of the United States Government paid an official visit to Zululand last week, lead by US Ambassador to South Africa Eric M. Bost. The Group, including US Consul General Eugene S. Young and other senior members visited Amangwe Village and the Unizul Science Centre, both of which have benefitted significantly from US assistance."
SA evils are 'crime, AIDS and no jobs' (Citizen, March 20)
US Ambassador to South Africa Eric Bost believes crime, HIV/Aids and unemployment are the biggest challenges facing the country.
Delay in ARV rollout worries US(Natal Mercury, March 13)
"The United States ambassador to South Africa views with serious concern reports of the long delay in the rollout of anti-retroviral drugs to HIV and Aids patients in northern Zululand."
Charity takes centre stage for US envoy (Pretoria News, March 7)
"The Berakah Educational Foundation in Mahube Valley, an after-care centre for school- children from Meetse-a-Bophelo and Mahlasedi primary schools, hosted Ambassador Eric Bost, who donated US$10 000 about(R75 000) to the foundation last year."
February 2007
America committed to Africa's renaissance (City Press, February 17)
"President George Bush announced the creation of a new Africa Command for the US military, an action that has prompted considerable speculation about how the move will affect our relations with Africa." [OpEd written by U.S. Ambassador Bost]