WASHINGTON D.C., United States — Diplomatic tensions between Washington and Pretoria reached a boiling point on Thursday as the United States issued a stern condemnation of South Africa’s recent detention of American officials.
The officials were reportedly in the country to provide humanitarian support to members of the Afrikaner minority group.
The friction follows an operation on Tuesday in which two U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) refugee officers were briefly held by South African authorities before being released.
While South Africa’s Ministry of Home Affairs has denied that any American officials were arrested, they did confirm the arrest and pending deportation of seven Kenyan nationals accused of illegally processing refugee applications on behalf of the U.S. government.
Washington’s sharp rebuke
The U.S. State Department characterized the incident as an interference with official humanitarian duties. In a formal statement, the department declared:
“The US condemns in the strongest terms the South African government’s recent detention of US officials performing their duties to provide humanitarian support to Afrikaners,”
The standoff is rooted in a shift in American foreign policy under President Donald Trump’s second administration.
Washington has expressed intentions to facilitate the relocation of thousands of white South Africans to the U.S., citing claims of racial persecution, a narrative the South African government has consistently and vigorously denied.
Allegations of harassment and data breaches
The diplomatic row has been further exacerbated by allegations that the private passport information of U.S. officials was leaked to the public. The State Department labeled this a form of “unacceptable harassment” and demanded accountability.
“We call on the Government of South Africa to take immediate action to bring this situation under control and hold those responsible accountable,” the State Department added.
Pretoria’s response
South Africa’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by dismissing the accusations of state-sanctioned data leaks as “unsubstantiated.” The ministry emphasized its commitment to diplomatic protocol while rejecting the U.S. narrative:
“South Africa treats all matters of data security with the utmost seriousness … We categorically reject any suggestion of state involvement in such actions,” the ministry stated.
Also Read: Trump boycotts G20 summit in South Africa over ‘white genocide’ claims
The South African government indicated it would seek further clarification through formal diplomatic channels, asserting that “bilateral engagements must be grounded in mutual respect and factual dialogue.”
Context of strained relations
This incident marks the latest in a series of clashes between the two nations.
President Trump has frequently critiqued South Africa’s domestic policies regarding its white minority, using these concerns to justify significant cuts to foreign aid and the exclusion of South Africa from high-profile G20 meetings.
As the two countries navigate this latest impasse, the future of their bilateral cooperation remains uncertain.
