Some United States (US) media, including CNN, The Hill and Yahoo News, have reported that South African (SA) authorities briefly detained two US staff who were processing white Afrikaners seeking refugee status in the country.
The alleged incident is said to have happened at a temporary refugee facility in Johannesburg.
A State Department Spokesperson is also quoted in US reports as seeking clarification from the South African Government.
Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Piggot is quoted in several publications saying that the State Department was seeking immediate clarification from the South African government and expected its full cooperation and accountability, adding that they would have more to say once the facts were confirmed.
Piggot warned that interference in US refugee operations was unacceptable.
It’s unclear what may have transpired in the incident, and SABC News has reached out to authorities in both countries for clarity.
Diplomatic relations between Pretoria and Washington have remained strained over US allegations that the South African government discriminates against the white Afrikaner minority, something Pretoria continues to reject as having no basis in fact.
–SABC–
