The United States has announced new visa restrictions targeting people it accuses of involvement in racial discrimination, violence or uncompensated land seizures in South Africa.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the policy on Tuesday as tensions between Washington and Pretoria continued to grow.
Rubio said the measures could apply to people the US government believes promote race-based discrimination, incite violence or enable land confiscation without compensation.
No individuals were initially named as targets of the restrictions.
US visa restrictions deepen South Africa tensions
The Trump administration has repeatedly criticised South African policies designed to address inequalities created during apartheid.
Washington argues that some policies discriminate against Afrikaners and other minorities.
However, the South African government has rejected allegations that it is persecuting white citizens or arbitrarily confiscating their land.
The disagreement has become a major source of tension between the two countries.
Land reform remains at centre of dispute
South Africa’s land policies have received particular attention from Washington.
President Cyril Ramaphosa signed an expropriation law that allows property to be acquired in the public interest. In some circumstances, compensation may be set at zero.
However, the legislation also includes legal procedures for expropriation. In most cases, authorities must first attempt to reach an agreement with property owners. Disputes can also be challenged in court.
South Africa’s government says the legislation aims to address historical inequalities in land ownership and does not permit arbitrary seizures.
Land ownership remains a sensitive issue more than three decades after the end of apartheid.
Relations between Washington and Pretoria deteriorate
The visa policy is the latest development in worsening relations between the United States and South Africa.
The Trump administration has previously criticised Pretoria on several domestic and foreign policy issues.
South African officials, meanwhile, have rejected several of Washington’s accusations concerning the treatment of Afrikaners.
The latest visa restrictions apply to individuals Washington determines meet its criteria rather than imposing a general visa ban on South Africans.
The dispute adds further pressure to relations between two countries that have traditionally maintained significant diplomatic and economic ties.