Pretoria: The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has rejected the United States' Human Rights Report, calling it 'inaccurate' and 'deeply flawed'. The report published by the United States Department of State on Tuesday claims that South Africa's human rights situation has significantly worsened over the past year.
According to South African Government News Agency, the report noted concerns regarding the signing of the Expropriation Bill, which was described as a troubling step toward land expropriation affecting White Afrikaners and further abuses against racial minorities in the country. The report criticizes the South African government for its alleged mistreatment of Afrikaner farmers, highlighting significant human rights issues. It claims it has credible reports of arbitrary or unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests or detentions, and the repression of racial minorities.
However, DIRCO expressed its deep 'disappointment' with the recent human rights report on South Africa published by the State Department. 'We find the report to be an inaccurate and deeply flawed account that fails to reflect the reality of our constitutional democracy,' the statement read.
According to the department, the report's reliance on context-free information and unreliable accounts is very concerning. 'It cites an incident involving the deaths of farm workers and, despite the matter being actively adjudicated by our independent judiciary, misleadingly presents it as an extrajudicial killing. This is not only premature but a fundamental distortion of the facts, as the individuals are formally arraigned before a court of law.'
The department has stressed that South Africa operates a transparent system where information is freely available from our law enforcement agencies and Chapter 9 institutions, which are constitutionally mandated to protect and advance human rights. 'It is ironic that a report from a nation that has exited the UN Human Rights Council and therefore, no longer sees itself accountable in a multilateral peer review system would seek to produce one-sided fact-free reports without any due process or engagement.'
In stark contrast to the report, DIRCO noted the recent assessment from the United Nations Human Rights Office in Geneva. This is after the UN has described South Africa's Land Expropriation Act, signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa, as a 'critical step in addressing the country's racially imbalanced land ownership.'
To provide a complete and accurate picture, the department said it has compiled a set of documents, which will be released for public perusal during the week. The department believes that a thorough review of reports from the South African Human Rights Commission and the UN Human Rights Council, along with articles from reputable news agencies like AFP, helps to correct any distortions and accurately reflect South Africa's steadfast commitment to human rights. 'We remain open to addressing these distortions through diplomatic channels.'