SAfrica urges review of white refugee case

(AFP)

CAPE TOWN — South Africa will seek a review of

a decision granting one of its white citizens asylum

in Canada, which the ruling party has said is racist,

the deputy foreign minister told parliament Thursday.

Sue van der Merwe said the decision to grant

refugee status to someone on the basis that

he was persecuted by blacks "shows a lack

of familiarisation with the facts and reality

of South African society."

"While we have incredibly good bilateral relations

with the Canadian government we will be pursuing

this matter and following diplomatic procedure

in order to express with the Canadian government

our views on this matter."

A decision by Canada's immigration board

to grant the Cape Town born Brandon Huntley,

31, refugee status has caused

a race debate in South Africa.

Huntley told The Star newspaper Wednesday

that he had won asylum because he fears that

he could face violent persecution for being white,

a claim the ruling African National Congress (ANC)

dismissed as "sensational".

"We find the claim by Huntley to have been attacked

seven times by Africans due his skin colour...

sensational and alarming," the ANC said

in a statement.

"Canada's reasoning for granting Huntley

a refugee status can only serve

to perpetuate racism," it added.

Huntley claims he was attacked seven times,

including three stabbings, by blacks who

called him a "white dog" and a "settler"

during attempted robberies and muggings.

But he said he never reported the crimes

to police, nor had he approached

the government about the attacks.

"I refuse to talk to the government,"

he told the paper.

He refused to discuss the details of his case,

saying he feared his family still living

in South Africa could face reprisals,

but claimed he had highlighted the problems

of modern South Africa.

"I've opened people's eyes," Huntley

told The Star.

Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board

said privacy laws prevented them

from commenting on the case.

"We cannot comment on refugee claims.

This type of claim is heard in private,"

spokesman Stephane Malepart told AFP.

South Africa's main Jewish group also

raised concerns about the decision, pointing out

that all South Africans suffer from

the nation's alarming crime rate,

with an average of 50 murders a day.

"If anything black South Africans are more

vulnerable to crime due to the sad historical

reality of higher poverty levels

in their communities," said Zev Krengel,

head of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies.

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