South Africa Slams US Human Rights Report as “Deeply Flawed”

Edited By: Widad WAHBI

The South African government has sharply criticized a recent US State Department report, calling it “inaccurate and deeply flawed.” The annual report, released on Tuesday, alleged a “deterioration” of human rights in the country and echoed claims made by former US President Donald Trump, who has accused Pretoria of moving toward the expropriation of Afrikaner farmers without compensation.

South Africa’s foreign ministry expressed “deep disappointment,” stating that the document “does not reflect the reality of our constitutional democracy.” The contested measure refers to a law signed earlier this year by President Cyril Ramaphosa, which, under rare circumstances, allows expropriation without compensation as part of a land redistribution policy enshrined in the 1996 Constitution introduced by Nelson Mandela.

According to government data, white farmers still owned more than 70% of agricultural land in 2017. Pretoria condemned the report for relying on “out-of-context and false narratives.” South Africa, the continent’s largest economy, is currently seeking a trade deal with Washington—its third-largest trading partner—to safeguard tens of thousands of jobs in key sectors such as agriculture, automotive, and textiles, all highly dependent on US markets.