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The Citizen
a day ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
US report on human rights abuse in SA rejected
Government and analysts say the report is politically biased and risks further damaging relations between the two nations. The recently released report from the US stating the human rights of minorities in South Africa are being violated serves as a wake-up call, but its credibility is questionable, according to political experts. They were commenting on the US state department annual report in which SA is accused of a 'substantially worrying step towards land expropriation of Afrikaners and further abuses against racial minorities'. The report also cites other human rights concerns, including arbitrary killings, arbitrary arrests, repression of racial minorities and a lack of government action to investigate and prosecute officials involved in these abuses. Dirco rejects 'deeply flawed' report The department of international relations and cooperation (Dirco) said it was 'disappointed' at the report's findings. 'We find the report to be an inaccurate and deeply flawed account that fails to reflect the reality of our constitutional democracy. The report's reliance on a-contextual information and discredited accounts is highly 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 a fundamental distortion of the facts, as the individuals are formally arraigned before a court of law. 'Similarly, incidents of police using force are mentioned without acknowledging the robust processes in place, where institutions to protect our democracy are investigating if due process was followed and if such force was warranted.' ALSO READ: US sanctions may backfire and deepen divisions in SA Dirco added that SA has a transparent system with information freely available from law enforcement agencies and Chapter 9 institutions. 'It is ironic that a report from a nation that has exited the UN Human Rights Council and, therefore, no longer sees itself as accountable in a multilateral peer review system would produce one-sided factfree reports without due process or engagement.' 'No easy way out' Prof Theo Neethling of the University of Free State said the report was a damning indictment of SA, yet it is on shaky ground, relying on political perceptions rather than facts. 'The US and SA governments do not see eye to eye on key issues. Considerable work lies ahead in the diplomatic arena for SA, as the matter can only be resolved through diplomacy. 'SA's diplomatic relations with the US have been strained for years and this latest report has only worsened the situation. 'It is unclear whether this comes directly from President Donald Trump or members of his administration, but one thing is certain: there is no easy way out of this diplomatic quagmire. 'The report also puts President Cyril Ramaphosa in a difficult position, requiring a decisive response if the SA government is serious about restoring its relationship with the US to a healthy footing.' Neethling said the situation was also putting the Ramaphosa government in a tricky position regarding the hosting of the G20 summit, as despite the report's factual shortcomings, it puts the country in the spotlight, while doing little to inspire confidence among investors. ALSO READ: Trump-Musk breakup: Will 49 'refugees' return to South Africa? US accused of undermining sovereignty Political analyst Prof Ntsikelelo Breakfast said the US is undermining SA's sovereignty. 'No country, according to public international law, has the right to interfere in the domestic affairs of another country,' he said. 'If there are human rights abuses, there are platforms to address that. 'Why are they questioning our policies? The US has its own racially inspired policies. Their action is a sign of disrespect. This is just being disrespectful.' Breakfast said the relationship between the countries was benefiting SA, therefore Ramaphosa must find a way of restoring harmonious relations while protecting the country's sovereignty. Call for government to address law and order crisis Christo van der Rheede, executive director of the FW de Klerk Foundation, said the report should be a wake-up call for the government of national unity and the ANC. The country faces a serious breakdown in law and order, and urgent steps must be taken to restore it, he added. 'However, we need to scrutinise how the facts in the report are presented and to agree on the following: first, the report is partially flawed in that it singles out Afrikaners as a minority group specifically targeted. ALSO READ: 'There is no white genocide happening here,' says Trump's top pastor after SA visit It is simply not true. No land is expropriated without compensation and no genocide is happening. 'Particularly worrying is the following statement: 'Significant human rights issues included credible reports of… the repression of racial minorities'. 'Second, the letter and spirit of our constitution, in terms of human dignity, equality, human rights and freedoms, is under attack and urgent steps are required to ensure it is adhered to by all levels of government.' Van der Rheede added it would have been more credible if the 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices were aligned with key constitutional imperatives and values and the failures of the state. 'All South Africans are impacted by ill-conceived economic policies, a stagnant economy, unemployment, crime, erosion of state capacity, poor service delivery and other socioeconomic ills. 'At the heart of this is a breakdown in law and order. And yes, our government must take full responsibility for the state we are in.' Claims of targeted genocide dismissed Political analyst Goodenough Mashego said: 'Most European countries with embassies here do regular checks when it comes to democracy and human rights. 'None has produced a report that says SA has a policy of disenfranchising Afrikaners, taking their land, killing them or committing genocide.' NOW READ: Trump's proof of 'white genocide' in SA contains images from Democratic Republic of Congo
The Citizen
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Was Ramaphosa heckling EFF's payback for White House embarrassment?
The EFF suffered major blows during the general elections last year, and the situation could get worse in 2026. The EFF may have reverted to disruptive politics to punish President Cyril Ramaphosa for not defending the party during his meeting with US president Donald Trump in Washington earlier this month. This is the view of Theo Neethling from the University of Free State (UFS) In June 2024, during a press briefing in Cape Town, EFF leader Julius Malema said the outcomes of the general elections had left the party with no choice but to become meaningful contributors in parliament. 'This time around, we have taken a decision not to play any role in disrupting Parliament. We will be robust and engage to a point where we follow up on that which was rejected illegally in Parliament through peaceful protest on the streets,' he said. However, all of this changed this week when at least 10 EFF MPs were reprimanded for disrupting Ramaphosa's Q&A session at the Good Hope chambers. They made spurious points of order and argued with the presiding officer, which almost led to the entire session collapsing. Embarrassment in the White House Theo Neethling said the EFF's actions in parliament had a lot to do with the embarrassment the party had suffered in front of international media at the White House. 'I do believe what we saw in parliament has to do with what happened at the White House, the EFF was put on the spotlight [in front of Trump] and president Ramaphosa was in no position to defend the party and its leader. 'Julius Malema's radicalism became the president's embarrassment in the White House. John Steenhuisen also downplayed the EFF suggesting that they should never be part of the government of national unity. 'Mr. Johann Rupert also made a comment about their radicalism saying that he had been a victim of the EFF's politics for a very long time.' Malema had defended his right to sing the Kill Boer song. But Neethling said the EFF were the visible losers in the discussions that had taken place in Washington. 'They are going to seek ways of compensating for this loss of face, and we must keep in mind that they have recently lost a significant segment of their leaders, and that is a serious blow to their future,' he said. ALSO READ: EFF threatens legal action over plans to offer Elon Musk's Starlink What does the EFF's future look like? Another political analyst, Dr Imraan Buccus, said the EFF has become known for their populist actions, but this kind of politics does not advance national interest. 'These Utopian views on political activism lack the strategy and foresight, and the ability to grasp the balance of forces in society, and do not therefore help the future of South Africa,' he said. The EFF suffered major blows during the general elections last year, and Buccus predicted that the situation may get worse for the Red Berets during the local government elections next year. 'The EFF aims to attract the young vote 18 to 30 but the reality is that even though Malema remains popular in this cohort it does not translate electorally because young people here and internationally express political enthusiasm but often do not turn up at the polls,' he said. Meanwhile parliament is expected to launch formal disciplinary proceedings into the conduct of EFF members during the president's Q&A session. The party is accused of denying South Africans the right to hear the president's responses and of disturbing the work of parliament. NOW READ: 'He's talking rubbish,' Malema responds to Shivambu's comments on EFF
