Johannesburg, South Africa — Former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor has had her United States visitor visa revoked without explanation by the United States government, her office confirmed this week.
Pandor, who retired from active politics in 2024 and now chairs the Nelson Mandela Foundation, said she received an email from the US Consulate in Cape Town advising that her multiple-entry visitor visa issued in 2024 was no longer valid and that she would need to apply for a new one. She said she was given no reason for the decision.
While she said she was unsure of the precise cause for the revocation, Pandor indicated she was aware of a lobby group that has written to US government officials seeking to block her entry. She also noted her vocal advocacy for the Palestinian cause and her prominence during the period when South Africa filed a “genocide” case against Israel at the International Court of Justice — both positions which have drawn criticism in Washington.
Pandor said she is still considering whether to reapply for a US visa, given the lack of clarity on the grounds for revocation.
The move comes at a time of heightened diplomatic tension between South Africa and the United States. With the G20 Leaders’ Summit set to take place in Johannesburg later this week, and both nations already navigating unresolved policy differences, the visa revocation is likely to add another dimension to the bilateral strains.
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