Pretoria, South Africa — The South African government has issued a direct rebuttal to the 2024 US Human Rights Report, pushing back against what it describes as an “inaccurate and distorted account” of crime in rural farming communities. The statement, released by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), reflects Pretoria’s sensitivity to ongoing narratives about farm murders — a subject that has long sparked domestic political tension and international scrutiny.

The Government’s Position

DIRCO emphasized that South Africa’s foreign policy is grounded in constitutional principles, human rights, and a rules-based international system. It rejected the implication that violent crime in farming communities amounts to a campaign of racially motivated attacks.