Cape Town – A political storm has erupted in Australia over comments by home affairs minister Peter Dutton that the country would welcome white South African farmers.

Dutton recently said white farmers are facing “horrific circumstances” of land seizures and violence in South Africa and wanted his department to investigate bringing them to Australia, The Guardian reported.

READ: Australian home affairs minister to consider fast-tracking visas for white South African farmers

However, Greens leader, Senator Richard Di Natale, has hit out at Dutton and labelled him a racist, according to an ABC News report.

“There’s no debate as far as I’m concerned, the bloke is an out-and-out racist,” said Di Natale.

“According to Peter Dutton, if you’re a white South African farmer you are going to make a great contribution, you’re not going to bludge on welfare. But if you’re not white, you won’t do any of those things,” Di Natale was quoted as saying.

But Dutton isn’t alone in his views.

West Australian Liberals have been pushing to “resettle persecuted minorities” in SA and Zimbabwe and in 2017 passed a motion calling on the federal government to move ahead with the plan.

Politician Ian Goodenough says that white South Africans would integrate well into Australian culture and bring relevant skills to the country, ABC News reported.

Queensland Liberal MP Andrew Laming has labelled white farmers as “refugees”.

READ: SA govt criticises Australia’s response to land debate

Di Natale argued that giving people preferential treatment based on skin colour was tantamount to a racist policy.

“This is not a dog whistle, it’s a fog horn,” he said.

Dutton, in making his suggestion, said that South African white farmers could benefit from a “civilised country” like Australia.

The South African government’s Department of International Relations and Co-operation said it was “engaging” with the Australian government on the issue.

Minister Lindiwe Sisulu on Thursday issued a diplomatic demarche – or course of action – to Australian High Commissioner in SA Adam McCarthy, to demand a retraction of the comments made by Dutton.

READ: Sisulu demands retraction from Australian government

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has, for the moment, declined to join the debate, insisting that Australia has a “non-discriminatory humanitarian programme”.

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ESHOWE, KwaZulu-Natal – The owner of an Eshowe farm, that was torched during widespread rioting, is not ready to talk about the ordeal. 

Calm had been restored to the community on Friday morning with police keeping a close eye on the area. 

On Thursday, angry residents went on the rampage, setting fire to two farms. 

WATCH: Complete destruction after farm, farm house set alight in KZN

The riot was reportedly sparked after Spamandla Xulu (29) was shot and killed, allegedly by a farm-watch security guard. It is understood that Xulu and another man had been fishing illegally at a farm dam and refused to leave when asked to do so.

This led to an altercation and the fatal shooting. The other man escaped unharmed.

ANA has learned from a reliable source that the one farm owner — a black African commercial farmer who also works in the medical industry in Durban — is “distraught” at what has happened.

Scores of neighbouring farms along the R66 had their sugarcane crops almost completely destroyed by the rampage.

UPDATE: Police station and houses torched in Krugersdorp protest

Another source told ANA that white farmers felt they were being accused of the incident because of their race.

One person has been arrested in connection with the protest.

Meanwhile, Xulu’s mother, says she is struggling to accept the loss of her son.

“Yesterday was a sad day. The family is still shocked. We were friends. We were so close. He’s loving and had respect. I’d like my son to be buried in peace. If authorities believe it’s the right thing to arrest him, it’s okay, but that won’t bring my son back,” said Ntombizodwa Xulu. 

– Additional reporting by eNCA

African News Agency