Several residents living in a white neighborhood in South Africa have denied U.S. President Donald Trump's conspiracy theory on "white genocide" in the African country in interviews with China Central Television (CCTV).
During a meeting with visiting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump accused South Africa of "white genocide" and unfair land seizures, and then unexpectedly presented a video and a stack of printed news articles which he said proved his allegations.
Ramaphosa firmly denied the claim and refuted the notion that white South Africans are fleeing the country due to racist policies.
Residents in Noordhoek, a small town in southern Cape Peninsula, of which almost 90 percent of the population are white, told the CCTV that their community is very safe.
"The life here is great. But I wouldn't say super safe. In Noordhoek, it's very safe," said a resident.
Admitting some areas in South Africa are not as safe as Noordhoek, the interviewees said the country is generally safe and denied any racial disparities in crime rates.
"I think there are definitely certain areas within South Africa that they are more a target, but overall in South Africa, I really don't think we are the target at all," said another resident.
"I think there's crime amongst all the people. So, of course, [if] they got more underprivileged people, and in those areas where there was not so much money, there's more crime. But amongst the black people, there's still crime, also with the whites," said another resident.
Some of the interviewees called Trump's claims about "white genocide" and the killing of white farmers in South Africa "ridiculous."
"Trump is crazy. He is saying all the stuff about white South African farmers getting killed. Do you know what he did? He showed pictures of random white people that are also not from South Africa," said still another resident.
White South Africans debunk Trump's "white genocide" claims
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
