DIRCO Responds to Australia’s Concerns Over South African Farmers

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) says it is “regrettable” that the Australian Government did not use the available diplomatic channels to raise concerns or seek clarification on the land redistribution process in South Africa.

This follows reports attributed to Australia’s Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton, who said they are exploring how to bring white South African farmers to Australia on humanitarian grounds due to the land redistribution process and the violence on farms in South Africa, which they say is racially charged.

Dutton said: “If you look at the footage and read the stories, you hear the accounts, it’s a horrific circumstance they face.” He said he had directed his Department to explore options to help the farmers immigrate into Australia, and said they were the type of hard-working immigrants that Australia welcomed.

DIRCO responded on Wednesday, saying: “We regret that the Australian government chose not to use the available diplomatic channels to raise concerns or seek clarification on the land redistribution process in South Africa.

“Those channels remain open and available for all governments to engage with the South African government.”

However, the department said it will engage with the Australian government on this matter.

Australia’s comments follow a recent motion passed by Parliament to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation, pursuant to a resolution of the governing African National Congress (ANC).

The resolution established a Constitutional Review Committee to consider all aspects of expropriation without compensation, including the legal and economic aspects thereof.

The resolution of Parliament thus sets forth a process and the Constitutional Review Committee must report back to Parliament by 30 August 2018.

DIRCO reiterated President Cyril Ramaphosa’s comments that the process of land redistribution will be orderly, within South African law and taking into consideration both the social and economic impact.

“The South African government has been very clear and transparent on the land reform process and the matter is now before Parliament. All stakeholders will be consulted and they are also encouraged to engage with Parliament,” claimed DIRCO.

“There is no reason for any government anywhere in the world to suspect that any South African is in danger from their own democratically elected government. That threat simply does not exist.”

Many South Africans and international observers however disagree with DIRCO – as can be seen by a couple of the videos below from both Australia and Canada.

And while the South African President has promised land expropriation will be “orderly”, many worry that groups such as the EFF could ambush orderly plans; and that although the President says it will be done in  a way “so that everybody’s rights are protected and advanced”, he has not directly addressed the concerns of current white land owners.

Instead he has repeatedly referred to “the return of our land to our people” in a manner that seems to not include all South Africans. In one speech Ramaphosa appeared to define who “our people” are: “The most important people in this country are those whose shacks are flooded… It is those who have been looking for work their entire lives, those who have dropped out of school, those suffering from preventable diseases, who have been orphaned or abandoned, who rely on an old age pension… To me, those are the most important people. Those are our people.”

Many believe Rampahosa is playing a political game, attempting to win the votes of the masses who could be tempted away from the ANC by the EFF, and that any mention of reassuring white people would be sharply criticised by the EFF and lose the ANC points. They say Ramaphosa is a businessman who will find a solution that benefits all South Africans, maintaining and growing the economy while redressing unfair land issues from the past.

DIRCO called on organizations such as AfriForum to stop spreading incorrect information to sow panic and fear.

Source includes SAnews.gov.za

WATCH Sky News Australia on Plight of White Farmers in South Africa

Sunday Mail editor Peter Gleeson said on Tuesday that white farmers in South Africa are ‘in peril’ and that Immigration Minister Peter Dutton should look at bringing some of these people to Australia. Within 24 hours Dutton said that Australia would look at ways to fast track visas for South African farmers, which is what led to DIRCO’s response above.

https://www.facebook.com/SkyNewsAustralia/videos/10155346199181728/

It appears the rest of the world is concerned about the plight of South African farmers:

Canadian Far-Right Political Activist Lauren Southern:

Southern has recently completed a series of ‘exposes’ on the situation in South Africa.

https://www.facebook.com/LaurenCSouthern/videos/546831432364262/

https://www.facebook.com/LaurenCSouthern/videos/569759756738096/