Pretoria says Washington’s latest visa restrictions mischaracterise South Africa’s domestic policies and undermine diplomatic efforts to resolve bilateral differences….reports Africa Daily News Desk
South Africa on Wednesday rejected new US visa restrictions targeting foreign nationals linked to policies that Washington says involve race-based discrimination, land expropriation without compensation and incitement of violence against minority groups.
South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said Pretoria viewed the US move as a mischaracterisation of the country’s domestic policies and called for bilateral differences to be addressed through diplomatic engagement.
Lamola said South Africa recognised that Washington could hold different views on specific policies and their implementation, but stressed that the country’s sovereignty, democracy and Constitution should be respected.
“We remain committed to addressing these challenges through our constitutional institutions, democratic processes and the rule of law, with the objective of building a more equal and inclusive society for all South Africans,” Lamola said.
He added that ongoing discussions between the two countries demonstrated the importance both sides placed on finding a lasting solution.
“We maintain that challenges in our bilateral relations with the United States can only be resolved by constructive engagement through state actors on both sides of the diplomatic channel, not unilateral acts,” he said.
The response followed an announcement by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday introducing a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign nationals involved in what Washington described as race-based discrimination and incitement of imminent violence, as well as policies enabling uncompensated land seizures in South Africa.
Rubio said the United States remained concerned about what it described as racially motivated crime and government-sponsored discrimination against Afrikaners and other minority populations in South Africa.
The US also cited race-based legislation, the possibility of land expropriation without compensation and what it described as incitement of racial violence through chants and slogans as reasons for the restrictions. No specific individuals were named when the policy was announced.
The latest dispute adds to tensions between Washington and Pretoria over South Africa’s policies addressing racial inequality and land reform. South African authorities have rejected allegations that the government is systematically targeting White South Africans, maintaining that its policies are intended to address inequalities rooted in the country’s apartheid history.
Afrikaners are a predominantly White South African ethnic group, largely descended from Dutch, French and German settlers who arrived at the Cape from the 17th century onwards.
The Trump administration has previously accused Pretoria of mistreating White South Africans, while the South African government has rejected claims of persecution and disputed allegations surrounding land confiscation. The disagreements have contributed to a deterioration in relations between the two countries.
In February 2025, shortly after US President Donald Trump began his second term, his administration announced plans to facilitate the resettlement of Afrikaners from South Africa as refugees, citing alleged racial discrimination and persecution.
Pretoria has continued to argue that South Africa’s post-apartheid policies are aimed at addressing historical racial inequalities through democratic institutions and constitutional processes. Lamola said Wednesday that the government remained committed to resolving disputes with Washington through diplomatic channels rather than unilateral measures.
