Monday, August 18, 2025
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has issued a sharp rebuke of the latest U.S. Human Rights Report on South Africa, labeling the document "deeply flawed," biased, and a misrepresentation of the country's constitutional and social realities. The strong condemnation highlights growing diplomatic tensions between Pretoria and Washington.
The 21-page report, released by the U.S. government, claimed that South Africa's human rights situation had "significantly worsened." It specifically cited controversial issues such as land expropriations from Afrikaners, alleged "abuses against racial minorities," and claims of extrajudicial killings in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal.
In its official statement, DIRCO dismissed the U.S. report as inaccurate and based on what it called "discredited accounts." The department stressed that criminal suspects in South Africa are afforded due process and are formally arraigned in court, contrary to the report's implications of extrajudicial actions.
Beyond the specific claims, DIRCO's response challenged the U.S.'s authority to issue such a report. The department criticized the U.S. for unilaterally judging other nations while simultaneously refusing to submit to supervision by international human rights mechanisms, such as the UN Human Rights Council. The statement pointed out America's own unresolved human rights challenges, including issues of racial inequality and systemic violence, as a glaring inconsistency.
This sentiment was echoed by international relations analyst Zimkhita Nene, who described the critique as a "double standard of major proportions."
"South Africa's constitution meets international standards and goes further by including socioeconomic rights to address historical injustice," Nene stated. "In America, you have movements such as Black Lives Matter and Say Their Names, which highlight institutionalized violence specifically targeting people of color. The U.S. report conveniently ignores its own institutional failings while singling out South Africa."
The diplomatic relationship between Pretoria and Washington has been increasingly strained in recent years. Tensions escalated after South Africa filed a landmark case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of violating the Genocide Convention in Gaza.
Under the previous U.S. administration of Donald Trump, relations deteriorated further, with the U.S. cutting aid to South Africa and expelling its ambassador following Pretoria's criticisms of American foreign policy. Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola recently warned that repeated U.S. interference in South Africa's domestic affairs had pushed bilateral relations "to a low."
The rejection of the U.S. human rights report is the latest chapter in this ongoing diplomatic friction, with South Africa's government asserting its sovereignty and pushing back against what it perceives as an unjust and hypocritical foreign policy.
Olagunju B.F
Source: Africanews.com
