South Africa's foreign affairs department criticized the advocacy organization AfriForum on Monday after the group praised a United States immigration directive giving preference to white Afrikaners seeking asylum. President Donald Trump established a 7,500-person cap for the 2026 fiscal year and allocated most spots to applicants from this ethnic minority, citing alleged persecution. Spokesman Chrispin Phiri accused the lobby of inconsistency for supporting American intervention while challenging domestic judicial decisions. He said AfriForum respects legal authority only when rulings favor their positions and otherwise appeals to external governments.
The organization defended its position by arguing that Washington and the American leader have valid reasons for concern about Afrikaner safety. Representatives pointed to what they describe as the government's refusal to condemn violent rhetoric against their community. Official crime statistics and independent research have repeatedly disputed claims that white farmers face systematic targeting.
Pretoria rejected the policy as interference driven by political motives rather than genuine humanitarian principles. The department maintains that portraying the nation as intolerant toward religious groups misrepresents conditions within a diverse society that protects minority populations through constitutional guarantees.
The organization defended its position by arguing that Washington and the American leader have valid reasons for concern about Afrikaner safety. Representatives pointed to what they describe as the government's refusal to condemn violent rhetoric against their community. Official crime statistics and independent research have repeatedly disputed claims that white farmers face systematic targeting.
Pretoria rejected the policy as interference driven by political motives rather than genuine humanitarian principles. The department maintains that portraying the nation as intolerant toward religious groups misrepresents conditions within a diverse society that protects minority populations through constitutional guarantees.
