South Africa Rejects U.S. Human Rights Report

South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has rejected the latest U.S. Human Rights Report, calling it biased and misleading.

The 21-page document, released this week, claimed that South Africa’s human rights situation had worsened.

It listed alleged land expropriations against Afrikaners, racial discrimination, and extrajudicial killings in KwaZulu-Natal.

DIRCO dismissed the claims, saying the report relied on discredited sources and ignored South Africa’s constitutional protections.

The department stressed that suspects are always arraigned in court and not subjected to secret abuses.

DIRCO Accuses Washington of Double Standards

DIRCO also accused the U.S. of hypocrisy. It argued that Washington issues judgments on other nations while refusing oversight by global human rights bodies like the U.N. Human Rights Council.

The department pointed to America’s own unresolved problems, including racial inequality, police violence, and social unrest.

International relations analyst Zimkhita Nene agreed, calling the U.S. report unfair.

“This is a double standard. South Africa’s constitution includes socioeconomic rights to fix historical injustices. In the U.S., you still see Black Lives Matter and Say Their Names protests against racial violence.”

Relations Between Pretoria and Washington Already Strained

The row comes at a time of growing tension between Pretoria and Washington.

Relations worsened after South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. The move put Pretoria directly at odds with U.S. foreign policy.

Ties had already declined under Donald Trump’s presidency.

At that time, the U.S. cut aid to South Africa and expelled its ambassador after criticism of American policies.

Ronald Lamola Warns Against Interference

Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola warned that repeated U.S. interference has weakened bilateral relations. He said South Africa would continue to protect its sovereignty and pursue independent policies.

“We cannot allow external reports to distort our democracy or misrepresent our society,” Lamola said.

A Growing Diplomatic Rift

The human rights dispute reflects a larger struggle over global governance and accountability.

Washington insists it must monitor human rights worldwide. Pretoria argues that U.S. reports are selective and fail to address America’s own domestic challenges.

Analysts caution that the rift could deepen further, affecting trade, security, and cooperation in international forums.

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