The United States has announced new visa restrictions targeting certain South African nationals, escalating tensions between Washington and Pretoria over South Africa’s race-related policies and land reform.
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According to the US Embassy in South Africa, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the policy on 15 September, saying it would apply to foreign nationals whom the US considers responsible for, or complicit in, implementing laws or policies involving uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination or the incitement of imminent violence against minority ethnic or racial groups in South Africa.
Who could be affected?
The restrictions are not a blanket visa ban on all South Africans travelling to the US.
Instead, the policy targets specific foreign nationals whom Washington determines are involved in the policies outlined by Marco. The US has not publicly identified the individuals who could be affected or said how many people may ultimately face restrictions, Business Insider Africa reported.
Certain family members of individuals covered by the restrictions may also be affected under the policy.
The restrictions are being implemented under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the Secretary of State to declare a foreign national inadmissible where their entry could have potentially serious adverse foreign-policy consequences for the United States.
What does the US say?
The US government says it remains concerned about what it describes as racially motivated crime and discrimination against Afrikaners and other minority groups.
Washington specifically cited race-based legislation, land expropriation without compensation and rhetoric it says could incite racial violence, said the U.S. Department of State.
Marco said the South African government had not adequately addressed the concerns previously raised by the US.
The announcement follows a series of disagreements between the two countries, including disputes over South Africa’s land policies and broader questions about race and inequality.
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South Africa rejects the allegations
The South African government has rejected the US characterisation of its policies.
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola has defended South Africa’s right to formulate its own laws and argued that the country’s policies should be understood in the context of addressing inequalities inherited from apartheid. Reuters reported that Pretoria accused Washington of misrepresenting South African policies.
South Africa has also disputed claims that its policies amount to persecution of white South Africans.
The government maintains that its land reform programme is aimed at addressing historical dispossession and inequality rather than targeting people based on race.
Diplomatic tensions continue
The latest announcement adds to an increasingly strained relationship between the two countries.
The US has previously taken other measures affecting its relationship with South Africa, while Pretoria has repeatedly called for dialogue and mutual respect between the two governments.
US Ambassador to South Africa Leo Brent Bozell III has also indicated that the visa restrictions could be followed by further measures, according to Daily Maverick.
For now, the US has not released a public list of South Africans affected by the new restrictions.
The policy therefore does not mean that South African citizens generally are prohibited from travelling to the United States. It is specifically aimed at individuals whom the US determines fall within the stated categories.
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