411

SA Transport Department Clears Flight That Took Afrikaners to US as Refugees

Published

4 months ago

May 12, 2025

taryn

A chartered plane that departed OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday night carrying 49 Afrikaners to the United States was approved through a formal application process, the Department of Transport confirmed.

The flight forms part of a controversial relocation programme initiated by US President Donald Trump, offering asylum to white South African Afrikaners who claim to be persecuted. The move has sparked backlash from South African officials, who accuse the US of politicising migration and undermining the country’s democracy.

Collen Msibi, spokesperson for the Department of Transport, was present at the airport and explained that a proper legal process was followed. “The application was submitted to the International Air Services Council on May 5,” Msibi said. “The council evaluated various criteria, including the purpose of the flight, the number of passengers, routes, and technical compliance.”

The flight was granted a foreign operators permit and was monitored by relevant aviation authorities, including the Civil Aviation Authority and Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS).

The aircraft, which arrived from Texas and stopped in Dakar before landing at OR Tambo, was scheduled to return via the same route—flying to Washington DC, then back to Texas.

“The plane’s route and movement were coordinated with ATNS, as is standard practice. They are required to report their location as they pass through each control area,” Msibi added.

The South African government remains critical of the refugee label granted to these Afrikaners. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has called the resettlement programme a politically charged decision aimed at discrediting the country’s constitutional order.

Meanwhile, US officials from the Departments of State and Homeland Security were reportedly preparing to receive the group in Washington DC on Monday, where they will be offered assistance under refugee status.

President Trump’s decision to approve the resettlement of Afrikaners comes despite his administration’s broader suspension of the US refugee programme, which left tens of thousands of people from conflict zones like Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo stranded.

Trump signed an executive order in February prioritising Afrikaners—descendants of Dutch and French settlers—claiming they were being unfairly discriminated against in South Africa.

The move has intensified diplomatic tensions between the two nations, with South African authorities asserting that there is no systemic persecution of white South Africans to justify refugee status under international law.