Pretoria — South Africa’s Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation has dismissed the recent U.S. State Department report on human rights in South Africa as inaccurate and misleading. The ministry said the report distorts key incidents and fails to reflect the realities of the country’s constitutional democracy.
The statement, issued on 12 August 2025, specifically cited a case involving the deaths of farm workers, which the report described as an extrajudicial killing. South African authorities noted the matter is under judicial review, with the accused formally arraigned in court. The ministry also pointed to reports of police use of force, stating that investigations are underway to ensure due process is followed.
South Africa’s government said its law enforcement agencies and constitutionally mandated Chapter 9 institutions maintain transparency and actively protect human rights. Officials criticized the U.S. for producing one-sided reports, highlighting America’s own documented human rights challenges, including refugee treatment and enforcement agency practices.
The ministry contrasted the U.S. report with a recent United Nations Human Rights Office assessment, which commended South Africa’s Land Expropriation Act as a key step toward addressing historical land imbalances.
Officials said a comprehensive set of documents will be released later this week to provide an accurate account of human rights practices and address distortions identified in the U.S. report.
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