South African government hit back at Peter Dutton’s Afrikaans farmers claim

The South African government has hit back at Peter Dutton’s claim that Afrikaans farmers needed help from a “civilised country”.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. Picture: Richard Dobson.

The South African government has hit back at Peter Dutton’s claim that Afrikaans farmers needed help from a “civilised country” like Australia, declaring white farmers were not facing state-sanctioned persecution in the African nation.

The South African foreign ministry released a statement to news agency Reuters arguing Mr Dutton had crossed a diplomatic line for suggesting the farmers were facing persecution.

“That threat does not exist,” the foreign ministry said. “There is no reason for any government in the world to suspect that a section of South Africans is under danger from their own democratically elected government.

“We regret that the Australian government chose not to use the available diplomatic channels available for them to raise concerns or to seek clarification.”

Yesterday, Mr Dutton said he had asked his department to look at bringing persecuted white South African farmers to Australia on humanitarian visas.

“If you look at the footage and read the stories, you hear the accounts, it’s a horrific circumstance they face,” Mr Dutton told The Daily Telegraph.

“We have the potential to help some of these people that are being persecuted.”

Mr Dutton said he asked his department to explore whether the farmers can be accepted into Australia through refugee, humanitarian or other visas, including the in-country persecution visa category.

“I do think on the information that I’ve seen, people do need help, and they need help from a civilised country like ours,” he said.

With AAP