US has announced restrictions on certain South Africans over policies involving racial discrimination and violence against minority groups.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the measures on Tuesday, September 15, saying the restrictions would apply to foreign nationals involved in or responsible for implementing policies that the United States considers discriminatory.
The restrictions are not a blanket visa ban on South African citizens. The US has also not publicly identified the individuals affected or disclosed how many people could be subject to the measures.
The decision is part of a broader diplomatic dispute between Washington and Pretoria over South Africa’s approach to racial inequality, land reform and policies designed to address the legacy of apartheid.
South Africa’s land reform programme has become a particular point of contention. The government maintains that reforms are intended to address historical land dispossession and racial inequality stemming from apartheid. US officials, however, have raised concerns about policies they say could allow land to be taken without adequate compensation.
Washington has also criticised South Africa’s race-based economic policies, while Pretoria maintains that affirmative action and related measures are intended to address inequalities created by decades of apartheid-era discrimination.
South Africa has rejected the US allegations, accusing Washington of misrepresenting its laws and policies. Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said the country’s reforms were aimed at addressing historical inequality and that South Africa had a sovereign right to make its own laws.
The latest visa measures add to already strained relations between the two countries. The disagreements have also extended to South Africa’s foreign policy, including its legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice and its relations with other global powers.
The US government has not provided further public details on the individuals affected or the precise implementation of the restrictions.
