SAPS denies UK journalist was detained at OR Tambo

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Port Elizabeth - Police on Tuesday denied that controversial UK columnist Katie Hopkins was detained at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Hopkins has since tweeted that she has left South Africa. She had earlier claimed that she was detained at the Johannesburg airport for allegedly spreading racial hatred in South Africa. Detained at passport control on the orders of the @MYANC. Amazing security co-ordination from a country where police do not respond to white farm murders because they are ‘on lunch break’ #ANC pic.twitter.com/QV1nwNDoHM — Katie Hopkins (@KTHopkins) February 6, 2018

I was detained at Joburg airport & had my passport confiscated on the orders of the ANC, trying to prevent me ENTERING the country. The slaughter of whites is a truth they don’t want told. Support the documentary here https://t.co/sibV1BeaYa pic.twitter.com/nDEpttry5z — Katie Hopkins (@KTHopkins) February 6, 2018

Responding to a media enquiry, police spokesperson Katlego Mogale said that Hopkins was not detained at the airport.

“I've been in contact with OR Tambo International Airport and can confirm that no case was opened, nor the journalist mentioned in your enquiry detained,” said Mogale.

Hopkins, who was in the country to report on farm murders, posted a video on Twitter saying that authorities had confiscated her passport and prevented her from catching her flight home.

Hopkins further claimed that her detention was politically motivated, on the orders of the country’s ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC).

Hopkins tweeted this along with a video: “Detained at passport control on the orders of the @MYANC. Amazing security co-ordination from a country where police do not respond to white farm murders because they are ‘on lunch break’ #ANC."

According to her tweets, Hopkins was in South Africa to document “the violent, ethnic cleansing of white farmers by armed black gangs”.

African News Agency/ANA