South Africa Won’t Block US Refugee Programme for White Afrikaners

In a development that has reignited debate about race, immigration, and international diplomacy, leaked US documents reveal that South African officials assured Washington they would not interfere with the US effort to bring white Afrikaners to the United States as refugees.

The closed-door meeting, held on 23 December 2025, came after tensions flared between the two countries, including the arrest of US refugee programme contractors in Johannesburg and a public spat over Trump’s claims of a “white genocide” in South Africa.

A Diplomatic Tightrope

The meeting summary, reviewed by Reuters and marked “sensitive,” shows that deputy minister Alvin Botes and acting chief director Thabo Thage met with US charge d’affaires Marc Dillard to de-escalate the conflict. According to the document, South African officials emphasized that, while they do not agree with the classification of white Afrikaners as facing genocide, citizens still retain the right to move to a country of their choice.

“This is a classic case of South Africa balancing law enforcement and diplomacy,” said a regional analyst. “They can enforce their immigration and visa laws without explicitly blocking a foreign government’s refugee programme.”

The Backdrop: Arrests and Allegations

Tensions peaked in mid-December when South African authorities raided a US refugee site in Johannesburg, detaining seven Kenyan contractors and briefly holding two US officials. Washington called the raid “unacceptable,” citing operational disruptions. Despite the incident, more Afrikaners reportedly arrived in December than any previous month, and arrivals were expected to increase in January.

The programme itself, championed by President Trump, focuses on white Afrikaners who allege race-based persecution in South Africa, claims that the South African government has emphatically rejected as misinformation. Critics point out that these claims echo far-right conspiracy theories and have no empirical basis.

Quiet Cooperation Amid Public Dispute

The leaked summary suggests both sides are trying to navigate a sensitive diplomatic path. South African officials reportedly encouraged the US to increase American staff and hire local South Africans instead of foreign contractors to prevent future issues.

They also gave a “tepid pledge” to investigate a leaked passport image of a US Citizenship and Immigration Services officer that had circulated online following the raidan incident the US embassy had previously called harassment. Thage, acting chief director, reportedly downplayed the situation, while Botes pressed for further scrutiny.

Numbers and Future Plans

Trump set a target of 7,500 refugee admissions for the 2026 fiscal year, with a focus on Afrikaners. About 1,000 arrivals have already taken place since the first group landed in May 2025, according to sources familiar with the programme.

South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), meanwhile, maintains that its policy remains unchanged. In a statement, Dirco said adherence to the rule of law does not equate to endorsement of any foreign policy programme and reaffirmed that the arrests were immigration enforcement matters, not diplomatic signals.

Public Reaction

The programme has sparked intense discussion on social media and in South African political circles. Many question the morality and legality of a refugee programme based on race, while others highlight the pragmatic aspect: South Africa won’t interfere with the rights of its citizens to move abroad, even if the rationale for the programme is widely disputed.

Political commentators suggest that this episode illustrates a broader trend in modern diplomacy: quiet negotiation and pragmatic compromise often happen behind the scenes, even amid public disputes and controversial claims.

South Africa has taken a cautious, legally defensible stance, upholding the rule of law while allowing the US refugee programme to proceed. The episode underscores the delicate balance between sovereignty, diplomacy, and the politics of race in international relations.

More Than 1,000 South Africans Granted US ‘Refugee’ Status And Not All Are White

{Source: Times Live}

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