Former South African minister caught up in US visa crackdown

Pandor, now chairperson of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, confirmed that she received an unexpected email from the US Consulate this week informing her of the decision without explanation.

Pandor, who retired from frontline politics in 2024, had held a valid multiple-entry visa and regularly travelled to the US.

Speaking to The Citizen, she said she was notified of the revocation upon returning from her most recent visit. “I received an email indicating my visa has been revoked. I have no further details,” she said, adding that the consulate offered no justification for the move.

Observers believe her vocal criticism of U.S. political leadership may have played a role in the decision.

Pandor, who retired last year, has been an outspoken advocate for Palestine. She served as minister when South Africa filed a case alleging genocide against Israel at the International Court of Justice, a move that drew opposition from the United States.

In a September lecture at the University of Johannesburg, Pandor warned of a “tectonic shift” in the U.S., arguing that the world is “shifting under our feet.”

She also explicitly questioned Donald Trump’s worldview, suggesting his “make America great again” mission is tied to punishing other nations using military and economic power, while appealing to working-class Americans with the promise of ultimate prosperity.

Such strong language, combined with her moral and strategic framing of U.S. foreign policy, may have made her a target for a more aggressive visa-screening regime.

The revocation fits into a broader pattern in U.S. visa policy where highly critical figures are increasingly being flagged.

He also speculated that his more recent comparisons of Trump to Ugandan dictator Idi Amin may have triggered closer scrutiny by U.S. consular officials. While the U.S. cited “additional information” as the reason for Soyinka’s revocation, it provided no public explanation.