South African white residents condemn Trump's 'genocide' accusations

Business Insider

24-05-2025

White South African residents of Noordhoek, Western Cape, including Afrikaners, have strongly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's recent claims of a "white genocide" in South Africa.
White residents of Noordhoek, Western Cape, have refuted U.S. President Donald Trump's statements of a 'white genocide' in South Africa.
Critics view Trump's remarks as misrepresentative and potentially harmful to South Africa's reconciliation and social progress efforts.
President Cyril Ramaphosa countered Trump's claims, stating that no evidence exists for racially motivated violence against white farmers.
A group of white families in South Africa, including Afrikaner families from the quiet town of Noordhoek, have countered U.S. President Donald Trump's claims that white people in the country are being harmed or treated unfairly because of their skin color.
They describe his statements as inaccurate, inflammatory, and disconnected from the country's nuanced racial dynamics.
AfricaNews reports that residents of Noordhoek, a predominantly white town in the Cape Peninsula echoed President Ramaphosa's sentiments in interviews with China Central Television (CCTV), expressing disbelief and frustration over President Trump's claims.
Many in the community stressed that crime is a national issue that affects all South Africans, regardless of race or background.
'There's crime amongst all the people,' said one resident. ' Of course, in poorer areas where there's less money, there's more crime. But that's true for both Black and white people. '
President Trump made the statement during a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House earlier this week.
In a show of support for the white minority, the U.S. President in an office with his cabinet presented video clips and printed news reports, to buttress his position, claiming white South African farmers are being systematically murdered and dispossessed of land through government-enabled seizures.
Ramaphosa denounces accusations
President Ramaphosa denounced the allegations as a misrepresentation of facts.
He emphasized that violent crime in South Africa affects all communities, and races, noting that no state policies discriminate against whites or promote racially motivated violence.
Reports gathered from local white residents emphasized that South Africa's high crime rates are a national issue affecting all communities, rather than disproportionately impacting one racial group.
Many expressed disbelief and frustration at Trump's portrayal of South Africa, with one Noordhoek resident acknowledging crime as a challenge in certain areas but denying racial targeting.
President Trump's interventions have been perceived as overly critical, sparking renewed international debate, particularly in the United States.
Some American politicians and media outlets have seized on isolated farm attack incidents to fuel a narrative of white persecution in South Africa.
SA crime data shows conflicting reports
However, official data from the South African Police Service (SAPS) consistently shows that farm attacks are not racially targeted, but rather form part of the country's broader and deeply entrenched crime epidemic.
These incidents, which include robbery, assault, and in some cases murder, affect farmers of all races—Black, white, and mixed race alike—and are largely driven by socio-economic conditions, rural vulnerability, and general lawlessness rather than racially motivated animosity.
Crime analysts and local human rights organizations have repeatedly emphasized that there is no statistical evidence to support the notion of a coordinated campaign or genocide against white farmers.
In fact, most violent crime in South Africa occurs in urban areas and informal settlements, disproportionately affecting poor and marginalized communities.
For Noordhoek residents, this misinformation and needless response from White House undermines South Africa's fragile efforts at reconciliation and social progress—moving forward.