United States threatens South Africa with ‘severe consequences’ over personnel ‘harassment’
The United States is seemingly not buying Home Affairs’ version of what happened during raid that netted several Kenyan nationals.
The relationship between South Africa and the United States has plunged to a fresh low following a blistering condemnation from Washington, which has formally accused Pretoria of “Doxing and Harassment of American Officials”.
In a sharply worded statement, the US State Department issued a stark ultimatum, warning that the South African government’s failure to hold those responsible accountable will result in “severe consequences”.
The US alleges that the “harassment” includes the public release of American officials’ passport information – an “unacceptable form” of intimidation that puts government personnel operating in the country at grave risk.
“This can only be seen as an attempt to intimidate US government personnel in South Africa on official business,” said the State Department.
The US said such behaviour, targeting officials legally and peacefully conducting their duties abroad, would not be tolerated.
Home Affairs sets record straight over ‘US officials arrested’
This diplomatic crisis originates from a recent immigration enforcement operation in Johannesburg. South African officials had visited a site where Kenyan nationals, illegally working for an immigration intermediary, were conducting essential “circuit rides” to interview Afrikaners seeking “refugee” admission to the United States.
Although the Department of Home Affairs later asserted that no US officials were arrested, they conceded that the presence of foreign officials coordinating with undocumented workers raised “serious questions about intent and diplomatic protocol”.
The US State Department, citing the interference in its operations as “unacceptable”, demanded clarification and accountability from South Africa. However, the refugee initiative that sparked the tension is itself based on “false, discredited allegation[s]” of anti-white “genocide” in South Africa – claims Pretoria has consistently rejected.
This latest flashpoint compounds an already volatile bilateral relationship.
Washington recently excluded South Africa entirely from all 2026 G20 events, including ministerial meetings and the Leaders’ Summit in Miami.
Pretoria, a founding G20 member, labelled the exclusion an “affront to multilateralism” and stressed that its membership is not dependent on US invitations.