South Africa's national government said on Tuesday that the "regrettable death" of George Floyd presented the US with an "opportunity to address fundamental issues of human rights, such as freedom dignity and equality".
International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor said in a statement that, just as the people of America "supported South Africa in its legitimate struggle against apartheid, South Africa too supports the clarion calls for practical action to address the inadequacies highlighted by protesters, civil society and human rights organisations".
"Recalling the steps post-apartheid South Africa bravely undertook as part of its new constitutional dispensation, we are convinced that America - a beacon of freedom for many worldwide - has the ability to directly focus on healing and peace and achieve an outcome that prioritises respect for and promotion of fundamental freedoms for all Americans," she said.
"The violence that has characterised some of the protests seriously detracts from drawing international awareness to the legitimate concerns about violence against defenceless black people and other minorities in America," she said.
National spokesperson Pule Mabe urged the South African government to engage with the US via "established diplomatic channels to diffuse racial tensions and build social cohesion among different races".
