US announces visa curbs on South Africa officials over 'race-based' policy

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new visa restrictions on Tuesday targeting foreign nationals in South Africa involved in race-based discrimination, uncompensated land seizures and incitement of violence against minority groups, accusing the government in Pretoria of pursuing "racial grievance" policies against the Afrikaner minority.

Visa policy unveiled

Citing President Donald Trump, Rubio said in a statement that South African authorities have consistently failed to address rural crime and dehumanizing rhetoric directed at minority populations. "The South African people are being failed by a government that is destroying its economy through an obsessive pursuit of racial grievance against the Afrikaner minority," he stated.

Rubio said the new measures would bar entry to individuals who enact or enable discriminatory policies. "Today, I'm announcing a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign nationals who enact or enable policies that promote race-based discrimination, incite violence, or enable land confiscation without compensation in South Africa," he said.

Targeting discrimination

The Secretary of State added that those responsible for such policies "have no place in the United States," according to the State Department. The announcement marks the latest escalation in Washington's criticism of South Africa's land reform initiatives and its treatment of Afrikaner communities.