The United States should put in context its criticism of ”widespread” abuses by South African security forces, the government said on Tuesday.
”Our track record speaks for itself,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad told reporters in Pretoria. ”I hope they put it in the context that we are trying to address whatever problems do exist.”
Pahad said the government will respond in due course after fully studying the US State Department’s latest human rights report.
The report is being studied by the departments of justice and foreign affairs.
Pahad said South Africa should surely rank high in the world in achieving democracy and respect for human rights.
”Our track record cannot be challenged … despite some problems.”
In the report, the State Department states that the South African government ”generally” respects the human rights of its citizens, but ”there were serious problems in several areas”.
”Deaths due to the use of excessive force by security forces and deaths in police custody were serious problems,” the document states.
”Some members of the police beat, raped, tortured and otherwise abused suspects and detainees.”
It says the government took steps to investigate and punish some of those involved.
Prisons are severely overcrowded, the report says, and some inmates are abused and assaulted by prison employees and fellow detainees — physically and sexually.
Other problems pointed out included lengthy trials due to an overburdened judiciary, xenophobia, violence against women and children, discrimination against women and the disabled, child labour, child prostitution, and vigilante violence and mob justice. — Sapa