Nearly 70,000 South Africans want to move to America after the US said it would take in people from the Afrikaner community. The South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA told everyone that thousands signed up on their website asking for more details. President Trump wrote up rules in February saying Afrikaners could come as refugees because they faced unfair treatment due to their race. These Dutch settler descendants first came to South Africa hundreds of years ago.
America and South Africa have grown apart since Trump became president earlier this year. The South African business group handed over all the names to the US embassy in South Africa. An embassy worker told news reporters they did receive this list. According to Neil Diamond, who runs the business group, most people who signed up had typical Afrikaner or English names.
The business group said most people wanting to leave South Africa were between 25 and 45 years old with two or three family members. This group represents South African business people living in America but has no official government job. They started collecting names by accident after many people asked them questions about moving to America. Some white South Africans say they face discrimination, which catches the eye of right-wing groups in America.
At the same time, white people in South Africa still hold most private land and money even though the racist apartheid system ended more than 30 years ago. Relations between both countries worsened when South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a law letting the government take land without paying if it helps the public. This happened after years of people asking to give farmland back to non-white groups. Trump then offered refugee status to Afrikaners, who he said were running from government race discrimination.
In March, Trump said all farmers from South Africa could come to America, calling South Africa a dangerous place right then. Later, the president cut money help to the country. Ramaphosa answered Trump by saying South Africa has not taken any land yet, and the new law makes sure everyone can access land fairly, as their constitution says. The fight between both countries has gotten worse. Last week, America kicked out the South African ambassador from Washington, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling him someone who stirs up racial anger.
America and South Africa have grown apart since Trump became president earlier this year. The South African business group handed over all the names to the US embassy in South Africa. An embassy worker told news reporters they did receive this list. According to Neil Diamond, who runs the business group, most people who signed up had typical Afrikaner or English names.
The business group said most people wanting to leave South Africa were between 25 and 45 years old with two or three family members. This group represents South African business people living in America but has no official government job. They started collecting names by accident after many people asked them questions about moving to America. Some white South Africans say they face discrimination, which catches the eye of right-wing groups in America.
At the same time, white people in South Africa still hold most private land and money even though the racist apartheid system ended more than 30 years ago. Relations between both countries worsened when South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a law letting the government take land without paying if it helps the public. This happened after years of people asking to give farmland back to non-white groups. Trump then offered refugee status to Afrikaners, who he said were running from government race discrimination.
In March, Trump said all farmers from South Africa could come to America, calling South Africa a dangerous place right then. Later, the president cut money help to the country. Ramaphosa answered Trump by saying South Africa has not taken any land yet, and the new law makes sure everyone can access land fairly, as their constitution says. The fight between both countries has gotten worse. Last week, America kicked out the South African ambassador from Washington, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling him someone who stirs up racial anger.
