The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) stated that South Africa remains firmly committed to principled, transparent diplomacy in its engagement with the United States (U.S.), amid rising tensions following a raid at a refugee processing facility in Johannesburg.
Washington has criticised Pretoria, accusing South African authorities of detaining US officials and publicly releasing their passport details during the operation. The US has described the incident as harassment and intimidation and has warned of severe consequences. South Africa has rejected these claims.
Dirco spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said that official diplomatic channels have been activated to address the matter and clarify what the government considers unsubstantiated allegations.
“Official channels have been opened with the United States government to seek clarity on this allegation and to reinforce that our bilateral engagements must be grounded in mutual respect and factual dialogue,” said Phiri.
The controversy stems from a raid conducted on Wednesday at a refugee processing centre in Johannesburg. The Department of Home Affairs arrested seven Kenyan nationals who were found to be working without the required documentation. The individuals were allegedly employed by a US-affiliated organisation and were involved in processing refugee applications for Afrikaners.
The US government has claimed that its officials were detained while carrying out humanitarian duties, describing the incident as an attempt to intimidate American personnel. However, the Department of Home Affairs has denied these claims, stressing that no US officials were arrested during the operation.
Dirco reiterated that South Africa will not compromise its sovereignty or negotiate on the enforcement of its laws.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation said that South Africa will not negotiate its sovereignty nor the implementation of the rule of law.
He also dismissed allegations that private information of US officials had been unlawfully released, stating that the government takes data protection seriously.
“The recent deportation of seven Kenyan nationals by the Department of Home Affairs was conducted in strict accordance with South African immigration law. South Africa treats all matters of data security with utmost seriousness and operates under stringent legal and diplomatic protocols,” said Phiri.
The government has urged restraint, calling for diplomatic engagement based on facts, while maintaining that South Africa’s laws apply equally to all individuals and organisations operating within its borders.
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