Cape Town - The decision by the Canadian authorities to challenge the ruling to grant South African citizen, Brandon Huntley, asylum in that country has been welcomed by Cabinet.
"Cabinet welcomed the decision by the Canadian authorities to challenge the decision of their Immigration and Refugee Board to grant asylum to a South African citizen on flawed and racially motivated grounds," said Government Spokesperson Themba Maseko on Thursday.
Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney is to challenge in court the decision to grant Huntley refugee status. He was given this status after he argued that the South African government could not protect him from persecution by "African South Africans".
According to media reports, his lawyer had requested the Federal Court for an opportunity to argue that the decision must be quashed and the case heard again.
Maseko, who was briefing the media on the latest ordinary Cabinet meeting, said that the Immigration and Refugee Board's decision had been regrettable.
"Government rejects any suggestions that white South Africans in this country are under attack from their black compatriots," he said.
