South African officials on Friday rejected American claims of white genocide and criticized Washington's decision to grant refugee status to Afrikaners. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation called President Donald Trump's allegations factually wrong and unsupported by credible data.
Government representatives pointed to a public statement from leading Afrikaner figures disputing persecution narratives promoted by far-right conspiracy theories about demographic replacement. Those signing the document conceded that South Africa struggles with violence, economic disparity and apartheid's lasting consequences but emphasized these problems affect citizens across all racial groups.
Trump issued an order in February halting financial assistance to South Africa and establishing immigration channels for white Afrikaners based on assertions that the nation's land reform legislation constitutes racial discrimination. The Expropriation Act permits government seizure of unused or hazardous farmland without payment when authorities determine such action serves the public good. Critics argue the measure unfairly targets white landowners who control most agricultural property, while supporters maintain it corrects historical wrongs from colonialism and decades of inadequate redistribution after apartheid ended. Several Afrikaner families received asylum in America during May of 2025.
Government representatives pointed to a public statement from leading Afrikaner figures disputing persecution narratives promoted by far-right conspiracy theories about demographic replacement. Those signing the document conceded that South Africa struggles with violence, economic disparity and apartheid's lasting consequences but emphasized these problems affect citizens across all racial groups.
Trump issued an order in February halting financial assistance to South Africa and establishing immigration channels for white Afrikaners based on assertions that the nation's land reform legislation constitutes racial discrimination. The Expropriation Act permits government seizure of unused or hazardous farmland without payment when authorities determine such action serves the public good. Critics argue the measure unfairly targets white landowners who control most agricultural property, while supporters maintain it corrects historical wrongs from colonialism and decades of inadequate redistribution after apartheid ended. Several Afrikaner families received asylum in America during May of 2025.
