South Africa Denies Persecution of White Afrikaners Resettling in US

The South African government has rejected claims that white Afrikaners face persecution in the country, following the departure of 49 white South Africans who have accepted resettlement in the United States under a refugee programme promoted by US President Donald Trump.

According to Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola, the individuals who left for the US over the weekend could not prove that they were subject to any form of persecution, directly contradicting recent statements made by Trump and his administration.

“They can’t provide any proof of any persecution because there is not any form of persecution to white South Africans or to Afrikaners South Africans,” Lamola told reporters on Monday.

The group departed from Johannesburg’s main airport on a chartered flight and are expected to land in the United States on Monday. The move followed Trump’s controversial offer to prioritise white Afrikaners for refugee status, citing what he called “unjust racial discrimination” and “white genocide” in South Africa.

These claims, however, have been widely criticised and debunked by multiple human rights groups and even by Afrikaner organisations. The so-called “white genocide” narrative has circulated for years, but official crime statistics indicate that the majority of violent crime victims in South Africa are young black men in urban areas—not white farmers or rural communities.

Lamola expressed relief that even some Afrikaner-led organisations had come forward to denounce the narrative of persecution, which has been used to fuel political rhetoric abroad.

“We are glad that a number of organisations, even from the Afrikaner structures, have denounced this so-called persecution,” he said.

Racial Context and Historical Background

White South Africans, who make up just over 7% of the population, continue to enjoy relatively higher standards of living compared to the black majority. The long legacy of apartheid—enforced by a white minority government until 1994—still shapes many of the socioeconomic dynamics in the country today.

While land reform, crime, and inequality remain sensitive and often politicised issues, there is no substantiated evidence of state-led racial persecution of white South Africans.

Diplomatic Ripples

Trump’s statements have stirred diplomatic tensions between the US and South Africa, with Pretoria calling out misinformation and asserting its commitment to a non-racial, constitutional democracy.

The foreign ministry said it would continue to engage diplomatically to correct the false narratives that are damaging South Africa’s international image.

As global attention remains focused on the refugee programme and its racial overtones, South Africa maintains that any resettlement must be based on facts—not fiction.

{Source: IOL}

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