South Africa has sharply criticised the United States over its latest human rights situation assessment, dismissing the report as “deeply flawed” and misrepresentative of conditions in the country.
- South Africa has criticized a US human rights assessment as inaccurate and flawed.
- The report accused South Africa’s human rights situation of worsening and cited unverifiable sources.
- Officials warn that such reports may impede constructive relationships and international cooperation.
In a statement, the government said the US findings which claimed the nation’s human rights situation had “significantly worsened” over the past year, were based on selective information and failed to reflect on-the-ground realities.
Pretoria argued the report overlooked efforts to address systemic challenges such as inequality, corruption, and police reform, while relying heavily on unverified claims from politically motivated sources.
“We find the report to be an inaccurate and deeply flawed account that fails to reflect the reality of our constitutional democracy,” South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation said. “The report’s reliance on a-contextual information and discredited accounts is highly concerning.”
Officials described the US approach as “one-sided” and accused Washington of applying double standards in its global human rights reviews.
US growing diplomatic fallout with South Africa
The rebuttal adds to growing diplomatic friction between Pretoria and Washington, with South African officials warning that such reports risk undermining constructive engagement between the two nations on governance and human rights issues.
According to the US State Department’s annual human rights report, Brazil and South Africa were singled out for various alleged human rights abuses.
The report claimed that South Africa’s human rights situation “significantly worsened” in 2024. It also cited alleged moves toward “land expropriation of Afrikaners” and “further abuses against racial minorities in the country.”
In recent months, US President Donald Trump has accused South Africa’s land policies of being unjust toward White farmers, a claim amplified by Trump’s billionaire former adviser Elon Musk, who has promoted the unfounded conspiracy of a “genocide” against Afrikaners.
The criticism comes amid a series of punitive US measures against Pretoria.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration maintained a 10% baseline tariff on South African goods, but later announced sweeping changes.
Effective August 1, 2025, a 30% reciprocal tariff was applied to nearly all exports from South Africa – up from the baseline 10%, while steel and aluminium remained subject to a punitive 50% rate.
US lawmakers have also discussed limiting South Africa’s access to American development financing and increasing scrutiny of its ties with Russia and China.
Analysts say the mix of human rights accusations and economic penalties marks a hardening US stance that could reshape a relationship once rooted in trade and diplomacy.
