South Africa faults US over new visa restrictions

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By Favour Ulebor, Agency Reports

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South Africa’s Foreign Ministry has criticised the United States over new visa restrictions imposed on some South African nationals.

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In a statement on Wednesday, the ministry said it was concerned about the restrictions announced a day earlier by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

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The ministry said the decision appeared to be based on what it described as a mischaracterisation of South Africa’s domestic policies by fringe groups.

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“We maintain that challenges in our bilateral relations with the USA can only be resolved by constructive engagement through state actors on both sides of the diplomatic channel, not unilateral acts,” the statement said.

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The latest development comes amid growing diplomatic tensions between South Africa and the US over a range of issues, including Pretoria’s domestic policies and its positions on international affairs.

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The South African government said differences between the two countries should be addressed through diplomatic engagement rather than unilateral measures.

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