South Africa on Wednesday dismissed the latest U.S. State Department human rights report as “inaccurate and deeply flawed.” The report, released this week by the Trump administration, claimed human rights conditions in South Africa had worsened significantly in 2024. It cited alleged discriminatory treatment of white Afrikaners following recent land reforms, linking the policies to apartheid-era tensions.
South Africa’s Foreign Ministry expressed “profound disappointment,” arguing the report relied on out-of-context information and discredited accounts of domestic affairs The ministry highlighted United Nations praise for the Land Expropriation Act, noting it supports constitutional and human rights-based legislative processes.
Officials called the U.S. report ironic, referencing America’s withdrawal from the U.N. Human Rights Council and its own documented rights concerns. “These include refugee treatment and due process breaches by agencies such as ICE,” the ministry added, sharply criticizing U.S. hypocrisy.
South Africa also rejected claims that it failed to investigate or punish officials responsible for human rights abuses or racial violence. The report comes amid growing diplomatic tension, including Trump’s false claims about illegal occupation of Afrikaner farms during a May White House meeting.
In recent years, the U.S. has imposed financial aid suspensions, 30% tariffs on South African exports, and criticised the country’s stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict. South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was expelled from the U.S. after publicly criticising Trump, further straining bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, the Afrikaans trade union Solidarieit plans a September U.S. visit to discuss abolishing racial-redress laws and reestablishing trade and diplomatic ties. The dispute underscores the increasingly fractious relationship between the two nations as both sides confront accusations and policy disagreements.
