South Africa has criticised the United States over new visa restrictions targeting certain South African nationals, saying the measure appears to be based on a mischaracterisation of the country’s domestic policies.
The South African Foreign Ministry expressed concern over the restrictions announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday, amid growing diplomatic tensions between Washington and Pretoria.
The US said the new policy would target foreign nationals it considers responsible for, or complicit in, policies involving race-based discrimination, uncompensated land seizures or the incitement of imminent violence against minority ethnic or racial groups in South Africa. The measures do not constitute a blanket visa ban on South African citizens, and Washington has not identified specific individuals affected.
Pretoria, however, rejected the basis of the US action, saying its domestic policies had been misrepresented by what it described as fringe groups.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said the latest development was a matter of concern and called for differences between both countries to be addressed through diplomatic channels.
“We maintain that challenges in our bilateral relations with the USA can only be resolved by constructive engagement through state actors on both sides of the diplomatic channel, not unilateral acts,” the ministry said.
Washington has repeatedly raised concerns about South Africa’s land reform policies and measures aimed at addressing racial inequality. The US administration has also criticised Pretoria’s position on international issues, including its legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
South Africa has maintained that its policies are aimed at addressing inequalities inherited from apartheid and has rejected allegations that its government is persecuting minority groups.
The latest visa restrictions mark another point of tension in relations between the two countries, with Pretoria insisting that disagreements should be handled through direct diplomatic engagement rather than unilateral measures.
