A review of South African Brandon Huntley's asylum status was welcomed by Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Wednesday.

"The South African government... supports the recommendation by Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to the Federal Court to review the immigration and refugee board's decision to grant Huntley refugee status based on his race," she said in a statement.

"The government appreciates the finding by the Canadian government that Huntley's claims were not supported by credible evidence."

Dlamini-Zuma said the decision to review the granting of asylum bore testimony to the strong relations between the two countries. The government would await the results of the review process.

A tribunal in Canada, chaired by William Davis, earlier this year gave Huntley (31) refugee status, when he argued the South African government could not protect him from persecution by "African South Africans".

Huntley, who grew up in Mowbray, Cape Town, said he had been attacked seven times by black South Africans and was called a "white dog" and a "settler". It later emerged that none of the incidents had ever been reported to the police.