Chairperson, South Africa is a constitutional democracy with state organs in place to fight crime. One of the ANC's key priorities, as outlined in the 2009 election manifesto, Polokwane resolutions and the 2009 state of the nation address, is the intensification of the fight against crime. The ANC therefore views with alarm and grave concern the granting of political asylum to Mr Brandon Huntley by a fellow commonwealth state. The specious grounds on which Brandon Huntley based his claim for political asylum were that he was attacked seven times by individuals, who happen to be Africans, solely because he is white.
Crime is a social problem which all South Africans are determined to combat. It is neither racially specific nor racially motivated. Political asylum is an instrument of international law devised to afford an ordinary citizen protection from various forms of political repression and discrimination on the part of governments. The action of the Canadian government suggests that Canada regards the South African state as directly responsible for the attacks on Brandon Huntley. The ANC calls on the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation to require a comprehensive explanation from the government of Canada for its actions, whose impact deepens and stimulates racial hostility and racist attitudes. Crime, whether in South Africa or in Canada, knows no race. I thank you. [Applause.]