South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation expressed concern on Wednesday, 16 April, over visa restrictions imposed by the United States on certain South African nationals, announced the previous day by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In a statement cited by Reuters, the ministry said the US decision aligns with what it described as a “distortion of South Africa’s domestic policies by fringe groups.”
“We maintain that challenges in our bilateral relations with the United States can only be resolved through constructive dialogue between state actors on both sides of the diplomatic channel, and not through unilateral acts,” the South African foreign ministry said.
The new visa restriction policy comes amid mounting tension between Washington and Pretoria. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised South Africa since the start of his second term, alleging that the country’s white minority is subject to racial persecution.
The accusations relate, among other issues, to affirmative action policies designed to address the economic and social inequalities that have persisted since the end of apartheid.
It has not yet been clarified who will be directly affected by the new visa restrictions announced by the United States.
The US ambassador to South Africa said in a post on social media platform X that the measures announced represent “only the first step in a series of escalating measures.”
The statement heightens uncertainty over the trajectory of relations between the two countries, at a time when Pretoria maintains that divergences should be addressed through diplomatic channels and increased government-to-government engagement.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/09/16/mundo/africa/africa-do-sul-governo-acusa-eua-de-distorcer-politicas-apos-restricoes-de-vistos/
