Cabinet says returning Afrikaners are welcome, will not face persecution

At a Cabinet media briefing on 30 July 2026, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said Afrikaners who left South Africa for the United States under claims of a white genocide remain welcome to return and will not face persecution.

Cabinet response to visa rejections

Ntshavheni made the announcement during a Cabinet media briefing after reports that some applicants seeking to relocate to the US under President Donald Trump’s refugee programme had their visa applications rejected for falsely claiming genocide.

She said:

“There is no place like home, for the returning South Africans who will always be welcome. Cabinet has noted allegations that white South Africans who chose to resettle in the United States of America, under the falsehood of a white genocide in South Africa, have been denied visas in that country.”

Rights and protection on return

Ntshavheni told reporters that Cabinet has reiterated that South Africans, irrespective of their political views, will always have a home in this country without the fear of political persecution and suppression in accordance with the laws of the Republic.

Government view on national challenges

Cabinet also acknowledged that South Africa faces socioeconomic challenges that affect all South Africans regardless of race and gender. Ntshavheni said these problems must be addressed through collective efforts involving government, political parties, labour, business, civil society and individuals.

She added that collective efforts should recognise the legacy of apartheid, the need for redress and the injustices of the past, and called on South Africans to reject racial mobilisation and recommit to building a united, non-racial and prosperous country.

Context: US resettlement policy and criticism

The article notes that in May the US signalled a policy shift prioritising the resettlement of Afrikaners from South Africa, with refugee admissions ultimately determined at the presidential level by Donald Trump. It says US officials cited concerns over alleged race-based discrimination and that Trump justified the decision by saying a genocide was taking place and that white farmers were being targeted.

The South African government criticised the US decision, saying claims of a white genocide have been widely discredited and lack reliable evidence, and arguing that land reform laws apply broadly while violent crime is a national challenge.

Diplomatic note

The article records that Roelf Meyer, South Africa’s newly appointed ambassador to Washington, vowed to reset strained ties with the US and stressed the need to improve trade relations while acknowledging political sensitivities around farm violence, Black Economic Empowerment and Afrikaner refugee admissions.