Australian Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton denied reports that he has retracted his statements about fast-tracking visa applications for white South African farmers.
On 2 April 2018 International Relations (DIRCO) Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu issued a statement in which she welcomed the purported retraction of Dutton’s statements by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop.
“We welcome the assurance by the Australian government as reported by the media that comments made by their Home Affairs Minister are not in line with the Australian immigration policy,” she said.
“We also welcome Australia’s condemnation of the unfortunate comments by South African and other international organisations and leaders,” Sisulu added.
Last month Dutton caused a countrywide furore when he said that the Australian Federal Government would look into fast-tracking visa applications for South African farmers who are facing “horrific circumstances” in the country.
His comments followed a motion which was passed by Parliament last month to set up a committee that would look into possibly amending the constitution to allow for expropriation of land without compensation.
Speaking to Sky News Australia, Dutton refuted the Sisulu’s claims that his government had back tracked on his statements saying that “there was no retraction of the comments.”
DIRCO Spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mabaya told Political Analysis South Africa that the Minister does not recognise the statements by Dutton but that she recognises the letter sent to her by Australian Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop.
“The relationships between governments are between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the other Minister of Foreign Affairs. We recognise the letter from the Minister of Foreign Affairs,” Mabaya said.