United States faces rebuttal from South Africa over allegedly deceitful human rights report and assertions of land expropriation

The 2025 U.S. State Department Human Rights Report has stirred controversy, particularly regarding the human rights situation in South Africa. The report states that the human rights situation in South Africa has significantly worsened, highlighting issues such as extrajudicial killings, repression of racial minorities, deaths in police custody, and farm murders between October 2023 and September 2024 [1][4][5].

The report cites examples including police involved in deadly shoot-outs with suspects, ongoing investigations, and the encouragement of violence by extremist political groups like the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) [1].

However, South African officials strongly rejected the report, calling it an inaccurate and deeply flawed account that misrepresents the country’s constitutional democracy. The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation criticized the report for relying on a-contextual, discredited information and prematurely labeling certain deaths as extrajudicial killings despite ongoing judicial processes [2].

President Cyril Ramaphosa specifically denied allegations of Afrikaner farmer genocide, asserting that such claims are unfounded and politically motivated [1].

In response to the criticism, the U.S. State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, defended the revisions as making the report "more readable" and trimming what she described as "politically biased demands and assertions" [6]. However, the changes are perceived as reflecting political convenience rather than impartial assessment [3].

Notably, the section on Israel omitted any mention of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, despite local health officials reporting over 61,000 deaths since October 2023 [7].

Meanwhile, South Africa is seeking to counter US criticism while maintaining its trade ties with Washington, as the US is its third-largest trading partner. South Africa has been expanding links with other major economies such as China and the EU [8].

President Donald Trump has criticized South African land and employment laws aimed at tackling racial inequality, and he has even issued an executive order for the US to resettle Afrikaners [9]. This move has been met with criticism, as most farmland in South Africa is still in white hands despite years of reform [10].

The controversy surrounding the U.S. Human Rights Report and South Africa's response is a complex issue that underscores the ongoing debate about human rights, democracy, and racial equality in both countries.

Table:

| Aspect | Details | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | U.S. Report findings | Worsening human rights in South Africa: extrajudicial killings, repression, farm murders | | | Police shootouts, deaths in custody due to abuse/neglect | | | Political incitement of violence by EFF | | South African response | Rejection as inaccurate, flawed, and contextually misleading | | | Emphasis on judicial review, law enforcement transparency, and democratic institutions | | | Denial of genocide claims, criticism of U.S. credibility on human rights | | U.S. Response to Criticism | Defence of revisions as making the report "more readable" and trimming what she described as "politically biased demands and assertions" [6] | | Omissions in the Report | The section on Israel omitted any mention of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, despite local health officials reporting over 61,000 deaths since October 2023 [7] | | International Relations | South Africa is seeking to counter US criticism while maintaining its trade ties with Washington, as the US is its third-largest trading partner. South Africa has been expanding links with other major economies such as China and the EU [8] | | Political Controversies | President Donald Trump has criticized South African land and employment laws aimed at tackling racial inequality, and he has even issued an executive order for the US to resettle Afrikaners [9]. This move has been met with criticism, as most farmland in South Africa is still in white hands despite years of reform [10] |

United States faces rebuttal from South Africa over allegedly deceitful human rights report and assertions of land expropriation